An archaeological excavation has started near Lake Küçükçekmece in Avcılar to uncover the ancient city of Bathonea, which is estimated to be 1,600 years old.

The Location of Kucukcekmece Lake, Turkey (source: Google Earth). The Lake itself is the second largest lake in Turkey

Dr. Şengül Aydıngün from Kocaeli University explained that an ancient city had been found after they had conducted surface research in Yarımburgaz, the oldest settlement area in the Küçükçekmece basin.

Speaking to the press, Aydıngün, head of the Istanbul Prehistoric Research (İTA) Project, said they had found out about the ancient port, located 20 kilometers away from Byzantium (old İstanbul), during research conducted last year into historic documents and compositions written by geographers several centuries ago.

Permission has now been granted to start the excavation, and Aydıngün said they are currently at the start of a very long dig.

“It might take a century,” he added. Aydıngün said they had detected the remains of the port during their initial search and had found ceramics and similar small findings near the surface.

They also detected a “grid system” of roads from aerial views, and they expect to unearth a city built in a manner similar to the planned urban developments of Ephesus and other ancient cities.

 The area where they have started to work is the most important spot, according to Aydıngün, who said they think a structure possessing important architectural features such as columns and doors might be a temple. Pointing out that the city is situated on a peninsula, Professor Hakan Öniz, a marine archeologist from Eastern Mediterranean University said structures in the city connect with a pier, port and a lighthouse in the farthest point of the city.

Explaining that the connection between Lake Küçükçekmece and the Sea of Marmara was wider 1,000 years ago, Öniz said divers are conducting research on the lighthouse. Öniz argues that a military port on the site had the capacity to host more than 40 ships. He said the search for a lighthouse was started after people claimed “there is a minaret in the lake.”

 Culture and Tourism Ministry Monuments and Museums Department General Director Orhan Düzgün said Bathonea was added to the 150 ancient cities that are currently being excavated. Düzgün said the lighthouse found here is one of the three most important ancient lighthouses.

source: todayszaman