Çine ve Nazilli (Aydın) İlçeleri Arkeolojik Kültür Varlıkları Envanteri 2000-2003

Abstract

The survey around the city of Aydin has been carried out under the auspices of the Department of Classical Archaeology, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (MSGSU) between the years 2000-2003. Associate Professor Dr. Nese Atik directed the team. The Research Foundation of MSGSU pro­vided financial support. The Aydin region has a rugged and rocky topog­raphy in which there are many fortified settle­ments and necropolises, as well as some mounds. Many oil mills, wineries and cisterns were documented in and around the fortified settlements. At the ancient sites, the traces of foundations carved into native rock, the beams and posts of wooden constructions are stiff vi­sible. Rock-cut stairs and graves also show that native rock is used whenever needed There are some isolated towers of ashlar masonry mostly located in the necropolis areas. These towers could he watch-towers or tomb towers. The most common grave type of the region is Carian type. There are also various grave types in these necropolises such as tumuli, sarcophagi, cist and rock-cut, but Carian-type graves are the most common. Some towers have ashlar masonry and bos­ses characteristic of the Hellenistic period. Some of the tumulus mounds are in the shape of small hills surrounded by a wail built of ashlar masonry. Around the fortifica­tions, towers and tumuli, there are scat­tered pot sherds. According to the ceramics and the stonework of the fortifications, the region was rather prosperous during the Hellenistic period. Most of the other cera­mics belong to the Roman period. Evidence for the Prehistoric, Classical, and Byzantine periods are rather rare.