Buldan (Denizli) Arkeolojik Kültür Varlıkları Envanteri 2001-2003 Yılı Saptamalarının Değerlendirmesi

Abstract

The Cultural Inventory Project was started in 2001 by TUBA-TUKSEK, and the area around the town of Buldan in Denizli Province was selected as one of the pilot regions. The aim of the project is to do­cument ail items of archaeological and cultural he­ritage and to transfer this data to the main cultural inventory data program. The archaeological re­search around Buldan was carried out by the de­partment of Classical Archaeology at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (MSGSU). Work carried out in 2001-2003 has indicated that some ancient cities of the Buldan region such as Apoilonia/ Tripolis are well preserved, but some are badly damaged as in the case of Yeni Catak and Aktas. Other settlements such as Bozdogan, Dogankoy and Oguz have almost completely disappeared The region of Buldan was first settled during the prehistoric period (Neolithic - Bronz Age), but mounds are rare. There are other low-mound or flat settlements of either short or longer-term use, generally with eroded the cultural layers. These settlements do not have monumental architecture or very dense habitation. Surface finds of ceramics and stone tools help date these sites. The results of the archaeological sur­vey indicated that the ancient city of Apolionia/ Tripolis had a number of satellite towns and vil­lages in its periphery. The number of settle­ments increased during the tale Roman Period, but as indicated by the surface yield of pottery and poorly preserved architectural remains they were not very prosperous settlements. The lack of wealth is indicated by plain, coarse wares and by simple, shapeless cist graves made with stone slabs. Most of these graves were robbed, but some glass vases, glass bracelets, copper earrings, and day lamps have survived. As for the grave types, cist graves were common around the Buldan region. Along with the cist graves, different burial customs and grave types such as pithos, urn. and Carian type were some­times used even within the same necropolis. In addition to these settlements, there were other buildings that were richly ornamented and yielded fine wares. They are interpreted as villas (villa rus­tica) of the Early Roman Period. Few settlements or forts dating to the Byzantine Period were found. During the archaeological research, its revealed that the cloth weaving of Buldan had a long traditi­on dating back at least 1500 years ago. Apolionia/ Tripolis is the only example in this area of a great metropolis that has a touristic value because of its well preserved monumental buil­dings such as the theatre and the bath. Apolio­nia/ Tripolis is being studied as a long-term and multifaceted project by the department of Archa­eology of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (MSGSU). The final elective of this study is to produce a scientific publication and also a guide­book. Most of the buildings have been measured by total station and transferred to the digital data­base. A new tour itinerary through the ancient city is a/so being planned.