18 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A pendant with a figure of St. Nicholas found in the Ancient Church Hidden in Turkish Lake

Underwater archaeological excavations and research, which were started 8 years ago in the basilica located 20 meters off the lake shore at a depth of 1.5-2 meters in the Iznik district of Bursa, in western Turkey, continue with new discoveries.

Historically, Iznik played a significant role as a center of culture during the Byzantine and early Christian eras. These ancient roots showed themselves in 2014 when a 1,600-year-old basilica was found submerged off the shores of Lake Iznik.

In A.D. 740, an earthquake destroyed the basilica, which later sank beneath the lake’s surface, leaving the ruins submerged.

Underwater excavations are continuing in Iznik Lake under the direction of Professor Mustafa Şahin, a professor at Bursa Uludağ University (BUU) Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Archeology.

The research team unearthed a large number of finds and a pendant with the name and figure of St. Nicholas on it during the dives that continued since the beginning of August.

Photo: Professor Mustafa Sahin

The finding of the pendant, which is thought to belong to a pilgrim, is considered as a sign that the basilica, which was named one of the 10 most important discoveries worldwide in 2014 by the American Archaeological Institute, was a pilgrim church at that time.

Professor Mustafa Şahin, Head of Underwater Excavations of the Basilica of Lake Iznik and Head of the Archeology Department of BUU Faculty of Arts and Sciences, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they started the dives on August 3 this year and completed the dives at the end of last week.

Şahin, who gave information about the identity of St. Nicholas and his importance for Christianity:

“We know him more as ‘Santa Claus’. The saint’s relics are not currently in Demre, but his church is in Demre. The find is very important as it shows us that a pilgrimage group, or at least a pilgrim, came here. The pilgrim probably came to Demre after completing his pilgrimage to Jerusalem and bought this necklace. Then he visited the basilica where we were excavating. Unless she accidentally dropped the necklace, she left it at the church. This is important because it shows us that the church we excavated was originally a pilgrim church.”

Photo: AA

Şahin said that the pendant with “Hagios” on one side and “Nikolaos” on the other side writing and the figure of St. Nicholas in the middle was delivered to the Iznik Museum.

“Our most important goal next year is to reach important information, findings, and documents on whether the 1st Council really convened here. We will continue to work on this issue.”

The ancient city of Nikaia (İznik) is well known in Christian circles as the site of an early and significant statement of faith: The Nicene Doctrine.

During their excavations, the team learned a lot about the early Christian church. They not only dated the basilica to the late fourth or early fifth century CE, but they also discovered that it was most likely built over an earlier structure.

Researchers in previous years also discovered several graves as well as the skeletons of several young children and an adult. Because of the church’s close relationship with St. Neophytos, burials at the site would have been common at the time. This saint was martyred in Nicea when he refused to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods under the orders of the governor. It is believed that the basilica, which was built outside the city walls, sits on the site of St. Neophytos’ grave, and it was not uncommon for worshippers to want to be buried near a saint.

Related Articles

10 Ancient Shipwrecks and Finds from Prehistoric to Ottoman Periods Discovered οff Kasos Island in Greece

14 March 2024

14 March 2024

The research team of the National Hellenic Research Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, has identified ten shipwrecks...

A Small Sandstone Carved With A Viking Ship May Be Oldest Picture Ever Found In Iceland

16 June 2023

16 June 2023

Archaeologists in East Iceland have found a sandstone carved with a Viking ship that may be the oldest picture ever...

The 20-million-year-old fossil of a sea creature in the ancient city of Tyana may have been used as a means of payment

22 October 2021

22 October 2021

During the ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Tyana in the Kemerhisar district of Niğde, a 20-million-year-old fossil thought...

Palau’s green pyramids: could be a geo-archaeological project

19 February 2022

19 February 2022

Archaeologists from Kiel University’s Institute for Ecosystem Research (CAU) and the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) studied the so-called “Pyramids of...

The first time in Anatolia, a legionnaires’ cemetery belonging to the Roman Empire unearthed

18 November 2022

18 November 2022

In the ancient city of Satala, in the Kelkit district of Gümüşhane in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey,...

Severe drought in Italy unearths remains of an ancient bridge in Rome

15 July 2022

15 July 2022

Continued severe heat in Italy has uncovered an archaeological treasure in Rome: a bridge reportedly built by the Roman emperor...

Archaeologists find rare treasure in Suzdal of Russia

15 August 2021

15 August 2021

The twentieth season of fieldwork brought an unexpected discovery to the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences....

1900 years old a Customs Inscription from the Lycian civilization reveals Anatolia’s strategic importance in maritime trade

16 September 2023

16 September 2023

A Customs Inscription from the Lycian civilization, located in Andriake port in the southern province of Antalya’s Demre district, tells...

On the beach of Herculaneum, a victim of the Vesuvius explosion was discovered with his bag

4 December 2021

4 December 2021

Archaeologists released haunting images Wednesday of the skeletal remains of a man buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in...

3,200-Year-Old Temple Mural of Spider God in Peru

25 March 2021

25 March 2021

Archaeologists in northern Peru have discovered a 3200-year-old mural. The mural was painted on the side of an ancient adobe...

2000-year-old glass treasure in Roman shipwreck discovered by an underwater robot in Mediterranean

24 July 2023

24 July 2023

The Italian-French mission recovered a selection of glassware and raw glass blocks from the Roman shipwreck located at a depth...

A new study reveals more than one person was buried in a tomb where the famous Nestor’s Cup was found

6 October 2021

6 October 2021

The Tomb of Nestor’s Cup, a burial that contained one of the oldest known Greek inscriptions, was more crowded than...

Archeologists discovered a treasure trove at the bottom of an ancient Roman bathhouse drain near Hadrian’s Wall

1 February 2023

1 February 2023

Archeologists in Carlisle, England, discovered a treasure trove at the bottom of the drain system of an ancient Roman bathhouse...

A Hoard of Gold and Silver Roman Coins Dating Back to the Reign of Emperor Nero was Found in Worcestershire

7 December 2024

7 December 2024

A hoard of Roman and Iron Age silver coins dating back to Emperor Nero’s reign has been found during building...

Neanderthal Footprints Discovered On the Beach of Matalascañas (Huelva)

4 May 2021

4 May 2021

A stroll along the beach of Matalascanas (Huelva) in June of last year unearthed a spectacular scenario that occurred in...