The ancient city of Zeugma, located in the southeastern province of Gaziantep, is planned to be converted into an archaeological park through a series of restoration and landscape works, . . said Zeugma excavations head Kutalmış Görkay.
Görkay, a lecturer at Ankara University's Archaeology department and head of Zeugma excavations, told the Anatolia news agency that this year's work would start as of Aug. 1 at the ancient site.
He said scientists from France, the United States and Sweden will take part in the excavations, adding that as the team, they would be in Gaziantep on July 25 and that their works will last from Aug. 1 to Oct. 30.
?The excavations kicked off last year and we will continue our works, which focused on Dionysus and Danea villas last year, at the same sites and we plan to convert these areas into a tourist attraction, Görkay said, adding, ?We initiated a long term work. We plan to convert the ancient city of Zeugma into an archaeological park through a series of excavation, landscape and restoration works.?
Görkay said the Culture and Tourism Ministry gave great importance in preserving the ancient city, one of Turkey's most significant cultural heritages, and plans to use it for tourism.
About the ancient city of Zeugma:
Zeugma was founded in 300 B.C. by Alexander the Great under the name of Selevkaya Euphrates. In 64 B.C., Zeugma was conquered and ruled by the Roman Empire and renamed Zeugma, meaning "bridge-passage" or "bridge of boats".
During Roman rule, the city became one of the attractions in the region, due to its commercial potential originating from its geographically strategic location because the city was one of the stops on the Silk Road, which went from Antakya all the way to China.
Zeugma was invaded and totally destroyed by King Shapur I of Sassanid in A.D. 256. In addition to the invasion, a violent earthquake later hit the city and buried it beneath rubble. The city never gained the prosperity once achieved during the Roman rule.
The Gaziantep Archaeology Museum carried out the first excavations in 1987 in Zeugma while the second excavations were conducted by the museum's director Rıfat Ergeç in 1992, when some mosaics and villas were unearthed.
A number of Turkish and foreign scientists have been conducting excavation works at the site since 1993 due to the fact that a major part of the ancient city will be submerged by the waters of Birecik Dam that is being constructed as part of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP).
The famous Zuegma mosaics, considered to be the most important findings, as well as the collection of seals and wall paintings uncovered during excavations in the ancient city are still on display at the Gaziantep Archaeology Museum.
Associate Professor Kutalmış Görkay has been leading the Zeugma excavations since 2005 in line with the governmental decision.
July 22, 2006
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
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