15 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Temple of Zeus Lepsynos in Turkey regains its glory

The temple of Zeus in the ancient city of Euromos in southwestern Turkey regains its original splendor with the revitalization of its columns with original materials and architectural methods. The Zeus Lepsynos Temple is one of the best-preserved temples in Anatolia.

Euromos is one of the important cities of Caria – the ancient name for the southwestern portion of Anatolia’s Aegean shores. It was the most important city in the region after Mylasa in ancient times.

Euromos is about 12 km from Milas located in the province of Mugla. The city was named “Eurome” by Roman author Plinius. The name of the city was Kyramos or Hyramos in the 5th century BC. However, as a result of the Hellenization policy of Mausolos in Caria, the name Euromos, which means strong in Greek, began to be used.

The first excavation and restoration work was carried out by Ümit Serdaroğlu between 1969-75. After nearly 40 years of interruption, a team led by Assist. Assoc. Dr. Abuzer Kızıl (Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University) was re-started in 2011 and the work is still ongoing.

The restoration of the Temple of Zeus Lepsynos has also been carried out meticulously in the ancient city, and the repair and strengthening works continue.

Stating that they used 90% of the original architectural elements in the restoration of the temple, the classification works of which were completed, Kızıl said: “There were column drums, column capitals, architrave blocks, friezes, and cornice blocks that we could use on every facade. We documented all of these materials and recorded them. And we are using these original materials in restorations.”

Kızıl also said that they used practices of the ancient period as a basis for their studies. “We made the combinations of the materials by using iron, bronze and lead. As I have previously mentioned, most of the architectural structures we used in the restoration consist of original materials. In this framework, we first installed the lower drums of six columns in their original places. After that, we carried out the removal and disposal of the previously used concrete blocks. In the meantime, the cracks, wear and spalling in standing columns of the temple were also tried to be strengthened.”

Photo: AA

According to the excavation head, they want to show the original state of the temple to visitors coming to the ancient city.

Explaining that they prepared a small number of missing architectural pieces with marble by using the original versions as examples to complete the restoration of the columns, Kızıl said: “All the stone needs of the ancient city of Euromos are supplied from the marble quarries on the mountain rising from the bottom of the temple. Visitors can easily observe how stones are quarried, how they are roughly processed, how they are brought to the temple, and how the last works are done in the temple.”

Photo: AA

The Temple of Zeus Lepsynos was built in the 2nd century, during the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian, at the foot of the hill called Kızılbayır outside the city. Since 16 of the 17 columns, together with their upper beams, have survived to the present day intact, the people called it Footed. Known that 5 of the columns were made by the physicist and public official Menekrates and his daughter Tryphania, and 7 of them were made by another public official named Leo Quintos.

Work on the ancient city continues with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Turkish Historical Society (TTK), the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, the Provinces of Mugla, Milas, and the Sıtkı Koçman University in Mugla.

Related Articles

The bronze age village Afragola buried by the Plinian eruption of mount Vesuvius 4,000 Years Ago

30 September 2022

30 September 2022

Mount Vesuvius’ Plinian eruption about 4,000 years ago—2,000 years before it buried the Roman city of Pompeii—left remarkable preservation of...

A Little-Known Civilization in the Americas Built Pyramids as Old as Ancient Egypt

26 June 2022

26 June 2022

Considered the cradle of civilization in the Americas, the Sacred City of Caral-Supe is a 5000-year-old archaeological site, situated on...

Archaeological excavations unearthed the first great Iberian city in Contestania and the oldest one

11 May 2024

11 May 2024

Archaeologists from the University of Alicante and the University of Murcia “Damas y Héroes. In the project “Tras la Ilici...

A Medieval Barbican and a Network of Passages Uncovered in Western Slovakia’s town of Trenčín

5 December 2024

5 December 2024

A medieval barbican (fortified outpost or fortified gateway), and a network of passages that acted as a sewerage system have...

A 2,000-year-old whistle was found in a child’s grave in the ruins of Assos, Turkey

18 October 2022

18 October 2022

A terracotta whistle believed to be 2,000 years old from the Roman era and placed as a gift in a...

A Mysterious Human Face Carved on Stone Dated to Bronze Age Discovered in Kazakhstan

21 July 2024

21 July 2024

Kazakhstan’s rich archaeological landscape continues to reveal fascinating details about ancient civilizations. Recent research in the Akmola, and Pavlodar revealed...

Lead sling bullet inscribed with “Julius Caesar” name found in Spain

5 January 2024

5 January 2024

A lead sling bullet inscribed with the name of Julius Caesar and the Ibero-Roman city Ipsca has been discovered in...

For the first time, researchers discovered bioarchaeological evidence of familial embalming in early modern France

16 November 2024

16 November 2024

A unique discovery has revealed new insights into the burial rituals of early modern Western Europe: For the first time,...

Christians Supplied Medieval Pagans with Horses for Sacrifice for Funeral Rituals

20 May 2024

20 May 2024

In the late medieval period, pagans in the Baltic region of northern Europe imported horses from neighboring Christian nations for...

An Avar Warrior Buried with Lamellar Armor and Equipment Discovered in Hungary

3 February 2024

3 February 2024

Archaeologists of the Déri Museum in Debrecen (eastern Hungary) found the tomb of a fully armed and with a complete...

500-year-old board game discovered carved into a stone slab in a Polish castle

12 September 2023

12 September 2023

A board game carved into stone was discovered by archaeologists investigating the castle at Ćmielów in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship in...

An unknown church with a special floor plan discovered in Erwitte, northwestern Germany

18 September 2023

18 September 2023

Archaeologists from the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association (LWL) have discovered the remains of a former church from the 10th century near...

Hidden Gods of Kurul Castle: Dionysus and Pan Figurines Capture Spotlight as Dig Resumes

10 July 2025

10 July 2025

Excavations are set to resume next week at the ancient Kurul Castle in Ordu, the first scientifically excavated archaeological site...

Rare 3,500-Year-Old Chariot Wheel Discovered at Inverness Golf Course

24 April 2025

24 April 2025

Archaeologists have discovered a rare prehistoric chariot wheel at the site of a future golf course near Inverness. The discovery...

Recent Excavations in Spain Reveal 7th Century BCE Religious Structure, Showcasing Eastern Influences within Tartessian Culture

18 February 2025

18 February 2025

A research team led by the National University of Distance Education (UNED) has made an important archaeological discovery at the...