THE CREMNA ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PROJECT IN CENTRAL PISIDIA: LAST SEASON FIELD STUDIES

Abstract

The study area is located in a mountainous part of the central Pisidia Region of the ancient city of Cremna. It is a city that is difficult to be captured due to its geographical location. For this reason, it is the least affected by the political events in the 3rd century AD according to the surrounding cities. Cremna Researches have been conducted since 2013 in two groups as city-centered and rural area researches. The main reason for the research on this subject is to determine the cultural relations of Cremna by examining the settlements in rural areas as well as the socio-cultural, economic and political relations with the cities around it. The subject of this article is the archeological investigations of Cremna Researches between 2018 and 2019. In general, Cremna surveys are carried out within the borders of Hisarköy-Asartepe from the north, Evciyeri from the east, the Kapılı Cybele Monument from the west and the ancient city of Sia from the south. In the Cremna Researches in the last season, very important data have been added to the archeology literature. Prehistoric Cave settlements and the determination of the use of some caves as sanctuaries are very important discoveries. It was understood that both tower structures and rural settlements were built in sheltered topographic places for safe protection of rural areas from the Classical Period to the Roman Period. The data on the Byzantine and Ottoman periods show that the Cremna territorium has hosted many communities from the earliest times to the present day.