archaeology

IASOS

I . INTRODUCTION

Ancient Greek city

Iasos is a colony of Argus

The modern village closest to the ancient city is called Kiyikislacik (Milas , Mugla

II . GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING

Located in modern day Turkey at the bottom of the Gulf of Mandalya

In the old geographical and nautical maps Iasos is called Asin Kale and Asin Kurin

12mi /20km west of Milas on a peninsula

The peninsula stretches just less than 1km , is 450m wide , and is elevated above the sea to the height of about 90m

The peninsula

is formed by a calcareous structure

The city is mainly is situated on the rocky island with the exception of city walls and necropolis

III . HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The earliest settlement dates back to the Early Bronze Age

The city was founded by the Greek colonist coming from Argos nearly 9th BC and then inhabited by the immigrants from Miletus

Especially during its early times , Iasos seems to have been highly influenced by the culture of the Cycades islands

At the beginning of the 4th century BC Iasos became a part of the Hecatomnid satrapy

Heavily involved in the events of the Peloponnesian War 431 BC - 404 BC

In 125 BC Iasos , like the rest of the region of Caria , fell under the dominion of the Roman Empire . Under the Rome Empire , Iasos was not a city of great account , the city become a province

In the third century AD the Erulians perhaps made some incursions into the city

Iasos flourished again during the first Byzantine period

The most recent archaeological evidence dates back to the 15th-16th century AD

The abandoned site was rediscovered by travelers and scholars in the 19th century present village only dates from 1929

The excavations in Iasos started by an Italian team in the head of Prof Dr . Doro Levi in 1960 , and continued by Dr . Fede Berti until today

IV . PRESENTLY BURIED STRUCTURES

The Wall

The most striking feature in the ruins of Iasos is the great land-wall which runs west and north from near the village for 2 .41 km , then turns south-westward for 0 .804 km . It is well and elaborately built its average thickness is about 6 feet (1 .83 m . Lelegian type

The date and purpose of the wall have given rise too much arguments Black-gazed pottery and coin found during the excavation suggests that the building was constructed about 400 BC , and collapsed century later

The walls , from another point of view , are thought to date from the Hellenistic period

Rectangular in shape and situated at a certain distance from the town this wall is believed to be used by a garrison protecting the city

One of the two watch towers or lighthouses has been restored

The Temple dedicated to Demeter and Core

At the southern tip of peninsula there was a temple dedicated to the goddesses Demeter and Core , approached from the direction of the sea by an impressive stepped gateway , or propylon . The sanctuary is located near the city 's...