Amorium Excavations 1993: the Sixth Preliminary Report

Abstract

The death of Prof. R. Martin Harrrison in September 1992 only a fortnight after the completion of a successful fifth season at Amorium was a serious blow and a sad loss to the Amorium Project. Without his drive and enthusiasm it was difficult at times, especially during the winter of 1992/93, to see how the excavations could be continued. It is, therefore, a major achievement in itself that work resumed in the following summer, and that a report on the findings can be presented here.The sixth season of excavations at Amorium lasted from 26th July until 3rd September during which time digging was carried out at four separate locations (Fig. 1). A further six days were spent conducting a regional survey on behalf of the Ministry of Culture as part of a larger scheme to collate and register sites and antiquities throughout the whole of Turkey. The team comprised Dr. C. S. Lightfoot (Director), Dr. E. A. Ivison (Sub-Director and Byzantinist), Dr. M. H. Ballance (Epigrapher), K. L. Barker (Conservator), L. S. Bown (Ceramicist), Dr. M. A. V. Gill (Glass Specialist), P. M. Cox, S. Farid, N. Mestci, I. Sjöström-Welsby and R. E. Turnbull (Archaeologists), S. F. Young (Student Assistant) and O. Kızılkılıç (Accountant). Four students from the Department of Archaeology and History of Art at Bilkent University also took part in the excavations: they were Mercan Araydin, Deniz Atilla Mustafa Eren and Tuğba Tanyeri. The government representative was Mrs. Jale Dedeoğlu from the İzmir Archaeological Museum.