10 February 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

At a dig site in western Turkey, a centuries-old Byzantine fortress will be revealed

Excavation of vast Byzantine-era fortifications considered to be about 900 years old has begun at a dig site in western Turkey, archeologists working on the project said on Friday.

Located in what is now the small picturesque town of Birgi, the dig aims to uncover massive walls and fortresses that archeologist Veli Sevin said once stood 8 to 9 meters (about 26-30 feet) high.

“The walls of the Byzantine fortress will be uncovered in the excavations. There used to be a tremendous fortress here that covered an expanse of 6 hectares (14.8 acres),” Sevin told Anadolu Agency (AA). “The walls still stand, at least partially. We want to unearth these walls to present them to humanity.”

The name of the town Birgi was derived from its ancient name, Pyrgion, meaning fortress in Greek, added Sevin, who is serving as a scientific consultant to the excavations. The historical town of Birgi, located in the Odemis district of Izmir province, is on the UNESCO’s Tentative List.

Some of the findings uncovered in the rough stone walls during the excavations have been transferred to the local museum’s directorate in Odemis.

Birgi, which is thought to have been settled as early as 750 B.C., has been ruled by various civilizations throughout its history, including the Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, and Pergamon, as well as the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires. It is still home to many historical remnants, including tombs, madrasas, mosques, fountains, baths, libraries, masjids, and homes.

The fortifications being excavated, however, were built in the late Byzantine period, at a time when “Turkish incursions gradually began to exert pressure on Byzantium,” said Sevin.

They constructed similar bastions as a final effort to defend themselves against the Turks in the present-day towns of Kiraz, Beydağ, Balabanlı, and Günlüce, he explained, adding that the fortress in Birgi was probably the largest of these.

He said the fortress did not have any ornamentations on it and was surrounded by a brick belt.

The excavations are also expected to contribute to the tourism in the region, said the archeologist and author.

Related Articles

Traces of 9300-year-old settlement unearthed near Volcanic Cappadocia in central Turkey

28 August 2022

28 August 2022

During the most recent excavations at Sırçalıtepe Mound (Sırçalıtepe Höyük) in Türkiye’s central Niğde province, archaeologists discovered traces of a...

Archaeologists have found a mysterious prehistoric site, believed to be a 6,500-year-old Stone Age cemetery, near the Arctic Circle

4 December 2023

4 December 2023

Archaeologists have found a mysterious prehistoric site believed to be a 6,500-year-old Stone Age cemetery just 50 miles (80 kilometers)...

The Oldest “Book” of Europe: Derveni Papyrus

4 September 2022

4 September 2022

The Derveni papyrus is considered Europe’s oldest legible manuscript still in existence today. It is an ancient Greek papyrus roll...

Khufu Boat moved to its New Museum by Smart Vehicle

8 August 2021

8 August 2021

A 4,600-year-old intact wooden boat bearing the name of an Egyptian pharaoh, Khufu, was transported to a new museum about...

The excavation, which started in a cave in Turkey’s Mardin, turned into a huge underground city

19 April 2022

19 April 2022

In an underground city known used as a settlement in the early Christian era, in the Midyat district of Mardin,...

China’s ancient water pipes show people mastered complex engineering 4,000 years ago without the need for a centralized state authority

16 August 2023

16 August 2023

A system of ancient ceramic water pipes, the oldest ever unearthed in China, shows that neolithic people were capable of...

Antalya Museum Sheds Light on the Southern History of Anatolia

17 April 2021

17 April 2021

Antalya province on Turkey’s breathtaking Mediterranean, besides the incredible coastline, is besides quite remarkable that up with ancient artifacts and...

An Ancient Large Clay Vessel “Hum” 1.75 Meters High Unearthed in Kyrgyzstan

9 March 2024

9 March 2024

During recent archaeological excavations in the town of Uzgen in the Osh province of Kyrgyzstan, a 1.75-meter-high clay vessel known...

‘Exceptional’ Viking Age silver treasure found in Norway

27 October 2022

27 October 2022

A treasure trove of silver fragments from the Viking Age has been discovered in Stjørdal, near Trondheim in central Norway....

Gold from the ancient cities of Troy, Poliochni, and Ur had the same Origin

3 December 2022

3 December 2022

Using an innovative mobile laser method, scientists determined that gold found in ancient Troy, Poliochini, and Ur had the same...

God Pan statue unearthed at Istanbul’s historical church of St. Polyeuctus

1 June 2023

1 June 2023

A Pan statue thought to belong to the Roman period was recovered during excavation works carried out by Istanbul Metropolitan...

An important discovery in Haltern: Mini temples and sacrificial pit discovered in Roman military encampment

16 November 2023

16 November 2023

Archaeologists from the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association (LWL) have found remains of the foundations of two mini Roman temples and a...

Archaeologists have discovered the origins a Herefordshire Stone Age monument

22 August 2021

22 August 2021

Archaeologists have finally uncovered the mysterious origins of Arthur’s Stone, named after the mysterious legends of King Arthur, who inspired...

‘Nano lime’ protects Nemrut: Throne of the Gods

24 October 2023

24 October 2023

Last year, “nano lime” was filled with syringes to protect the tiny cracks on the large stone statues on Mount...

Albastı “A Mother’s Nightmare “

5 February 2021

5 February 2021

Albastı is one of the bad characters in Turkish mythology. The fearful dream of puerperal women and babies, Albastı continues...