Izmir Metropolitan Municipality continues to support excavations in order to transfer the archaeological heritage to future generations. A total of 19 million 665 thousand 625 liras are provided for 16 archaeological excavations included in the 2026 support program of the Metropolitan Municipality. In the Liman Tepe excavations, which are carried out with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ankara University, a team of 35 people is working to shed light on the 7 thousand year old history of Urla.
In the excavations carried out on behalf of Ankara University, not only the ancient settlement on land but also the undersea port, which has been investigated since 2000, is examined. In Liman Tepe, where Turkey's first underwater harbor excavations were carried out, this year the streets, "long houses", walls and water system of the approximately 5 thousand year old settlement were studied. Under the sea, new research was carried out to determine the history of the breakwater structure of the harbour.
Director of Ankara University Maritime Archeology Application and Research Center and Head of Liman Tepe Excavations Prof. Dr. Vasıf Şahoğlu said that the excavations were carried out in 1992 by Prof. Dr. He said that it started under the chairmanship of Hayat Erkanal and has continued under his chairmanship since 2020. Stating that they are researching the 7 thousand years of history of Urla, Şahoğlu said, "The part we are in now goes back 5 thousand years from today. We are in a city surrounded by walls. On our right and left, there are structures we call 'long houses'. Today, we are actually in a street that was used 5 thousand years ago."
Stating that one of the most striking discoveries of this year's work was the water system unearthed in the ancient settlement, Şahoğlu explained that they detected channels made of stones between the terraces at different elevations and said, "They made channels with stones and water flows through those channels. It may not be related to drinking water. Since it is a structure that deepens towards the middle of the settlement, we think it may have been built to channel the flowing rainwater to a certain place. There is a drainage system built with stones between the terraces. We do not know much about it in Western Anatolia, "It is a system that has very few examples in the Aegean. We will examine it in more detail," he said.
During the excavations, new data was also obtained from the 'long houses', which are approximately 5 thousand years old. Explaining that there were large pots fixed to the floor at the entrance of the houses, Şahoğlu stated that these may have been used to store water, grain or other products. Stating that the samples to be taken from the pots will be examined by experts, Şahoğlu said, "When we find a fixed pot, we think that a liquid or solid material was stored. One of the first things that comes to mind is water. However, we will collect soil samples from it. Botanists will examine it, and if there are burnt seeds, they will give us information about what is hidden. With micromorphological research, we will try to understand the material inside, even from the remains that we cannot see with our eyes."
Stating that Liman Tepe was a strong settlement surrounded by walls in the period dating back to approximately 4,500-5,000 years ago, Şahoğlu said that the longhouses unearthed during the excavations are among the largest structures known for this period in the Aegean. Noting that the buildings are more than 25 meters long and approximately 5 meters wide, Şahoğlu explained that not only daily life continues here, but also production takes place. Şahoğlu said, "We know that minerals are produced in a house. People both live and mine there. In the house next to it, we find weaving weights related to textile production. Therefore, we can define them as 'workshop-house'. They are places where both daily life and production continue."
Underlining that Liman Tepe has been one of the important maritime trade centers of the Aegean for thousands of years, Şahoğlu said that ceramic samples were found to come from the Cyclades Islands during the excavations. Stating that these findings were seen in very few centers in Anatolia, Şahoğlu explained that Liman Tepe's relationship with the Aegean islands dates back thousands of years. Şahoğlu stated that there were ceramic containers produced in the Cyclades Islands and transported to Liman Tepe by sea, and that products such as olive oil or wine may have been carried in these containers, but their contents are not known for sure. Stating that these findings reveal that Liman Tepe established overseas connections with the Aegean islands approximately 4,500 years ago, Şahoğlu said that the ceramics provide important data that the settlement was an important port and trade center.
Emphasizing that the sea connection in Liman Tepe goes back even further, Şahoğlu said that obsidian originating from Melos Island was found in layers dating back 7 thousand years. Stating that obsidian, a volcanic glass, was extremely valuable in the production of cutting tools before the use of metal, Şahoğlu said, "We have obsidian samples from Melos Island 7 thousand years ago. People managed to cross the seas and bring this material here. We even found a small workshop. Maybe they brought it in large pieces and processed it into tools here. Liman Tepe always faces the sea."
Another element that makes Liman Tepe special in terms of Turkish archeology is that the work is not limited to land. Stating that undersea excavations have been continuing since 2000, Şahoğlu said that the first underwater port excavations in Turkey were carried out in Liman Tepe. Stating that they focused especially on dating the harbor under the sea this year, Şahoğlu said, "We carried out drillings at different points of the stony breakwater structure. Our aim is to clearly reveal when this breakwater was built and how long it was used."
Emphasizing that not only amphora and ceramics were found during the excavations under the sea, Şahoğlu said, "We also find organic materials such as olive pits, grape seeds, hazelnuts. In fact, we are digging the economic heart of a settlement. Therefore, we obtain invaluable data about maritime trade."
Stating that it took many years of meticulous work to bring the artifacts recovered from the sea to the scientific world, Şahoğlu said that the pieces cleaned from the effects of salt and sea creatures were assembled one by one by experts. Şahoğlu said, "We have vessels whose parts have been removed for 10 years. They are taken out of the sea, purified, and our experts assemble the pieces. This work is not limited to the life of an archaeologist. It is a work that will continue for generations. Before me, our teacher Prof. Dr. Hayat Erkanal was carrying out it, now it continues under my chairmanship, and our other friends will take over after me. Our responsibility is to preserve and document everything we find in the most accurate way."
