Archaeology

Pergamon Excavation’s ‘Open Door’ Day: An Insight of How Archaeologists Work and Stay

Pergamon Excavation House, the heart and center of the Pergamon Excavation, opened its doors to visitors from Bergama on Saturday, September 7, 2024. This special event, organized for the first time within the scope of ‘Pergamon Meetings’ with the contributions of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and Bergama District Municipality, aimed to offer participants a day full of history and archaeology.

Archaeology

Pergamon Kazısının ‘Açık Kapı’ Günü: Arkeologların Nasıl Çalıştığı ve Nasıl Konakladığına Dair Dışarıdan Bir Bakış

Pergamon Kazısının kalbi ve ana merkezi olan Pergamon Kazı Evi, 7 Eylül 2024 Cumartesi günü kapılarını Bergamalı ziyaretçilerine açtı. Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı ile Bergama İlçe Belediyesinin katkılarıyla düzenlenen ‘Pergamon Buluşmaları’ kapsamında ilk defa gerçekleştirilen bu özel etkinlik, katılımcılara tarih ve arkeoloji dolu bir gün sunmayı amaçladı.

Archaeology

Shimmering Waste – New Evidence for Lead-Glazed Pottery Production in Pergamon

New findings from Pergamon reveal evidence of local lead-glazed pottery production, dating to the late Hellenistic and early Imperial periods. Production waste, including misfired vessels and stacking devices, was found in rubbish layers on the city’s northern East Slope. These discoveries highlight Pergamon’s urban production infrastructure and raise questions about the region’s specialized, resource-intensive ceramic craftsmanship and its eventual decline.

Geography

Pergamon visits Madrid – LAC 2024

Discover the latest TransPergMicro research presented at the 2024 Landscape Archaeology Conference. We’re excited to highlight Joris Starke’s award-winning poster on the Araplı alluvial fan’s development during the Roman Imperial period. Additionally, delve into Robert Busch’s agro-ecological modeling and Fabian Becker’s analysis of the ‚3rd century crisis‘ in Pergamon. Also featured is Moritz Nykamp’s poster on Göbekli Tepe’s landscape evolution.

Architectural History

Ein Blick auf die Westthermen von Pergamon: Neuste Forschungen zur römischen Badekultur in Asia Minor

Die Überreste der Westthermen in Pergamon wurden 1906-07 freigelegt. 2022 setzten Studierende der TU Berlin im Rahmen des TransPergMikro-Projektes den Bau erneut in den Fokus. Die umfassende Baudokumentation enthüllte bislang unbeachtete Bereiche und lieferte neue Erkenntnisse über Bauphasen und Nutzung, die zur Klärung urbaner Strukturen beitragen.

Archaeology

New Publication: Micro-Regions as Spaces of Socio-Ecological Interaction

The publication offers a collection of papers held in 2022 at a workshop organized by the DFG-funded TransPergMicro project. The interdisciplinary contributions reflect on micro-regions as spaces of socio-ecological interaction on a theoretical, methodological and empirical level. They convey the current state of knowledge for various regions of the Mediterranean and reveal perspectives for future research.

Archaeology

The Selinos River in Pergamon. Investigating the Relations Between Urban Development, the Alteration of Natural Space and Changing River Dynamics

The Selinos River, now known as Bergama Çayı, plays a significant role in shaping the urban landscape of the city. This was highlighted at the annual TransPergMicro workshop, where the relationship between urban development, changes in natural space, and the river’s dynamics were analysed and discussed. The initial findings, presented in this blog post, will be incorporated into a TransPergMicro sub-project.

Geography

Alluvial fans and ‘chocolate bars’: Unveiling the sedimentary archives of the Pergamon Micro-Region

In exploring sedimentary profiles obtained by vibra-coring in the Bakırçay plain, our interdisciplinary fieldwork investigates the development of alluvial fans in the Pergamon micro-region. We aim to uncover the intricate interplay between sediment dynamics and historical settlement patterns. At the same time, our study of ‚chocolate bars‘ provides insights into ancient pottery production and highlights the relationship between human activity and the landscape in the Pergamon Micro-Region.

Archaeology

Secrets of Selinus: New Discoveries Reshape the Understanding of Pergamon’s Urban Riverbank

The developing landscape of Bergama unfolds along the Bergama Çayı, where the recent construction of a river embankment by the DSİ revealed ancient structures. Excavations from 2021 to 2023 under the direction of Bergama Müzesi uncovered an 1 km² wide area. In collaboration with DSİ, the İzmir State Monuments Authority and the Pergamon Excavation Project, the ongoing conservation work is contributing to a master’s thesis focusing on detailed documentation, with an emphasis on construction phases and techniques. This study explores the historical layers of the site to uncover ancient urban development and the interactions between human and nature during the Roman Imperial period.

Archaeology

Temple, Villa, or…? A Rural Site in the Pergamon Micro-Region

The Sultan Tepe site, discovered in 2009 and revisited in 2019 and 2020, near Pergamon reveals intriguing findings. The non-invasive survey suggests a complex history: a potential villa with a courtyard, a sanctuary, or even a mansio. Geophysical data points to a 175 x 100 m structure, possibly a villa. Pottery spans late Hellenistic to Byzantine periods. Despite uncertainties, this interdisciplinary approach offers valuable insights into the region’s historical development. The full study will be in ‚Istanbuler Mitteilungen.‘

Archaeology

Lost and Found in an Altered Landscape: Uncovering Ancient Sites in the Eastern Pergamon Micro-Region – A Survey Report

The Archaeological Survey in the Pergamon Micro-Region often takes us to places where history and present collide. This was especially true during this year’s survey. As part of the TransPergMicro project, the survey team explored the eastern lower plain of the Bakırçay river (ancient Kaikos) and the southern Madra Dağı Mountains around ancient Parthenion – an ancient landscape that has been affected by massive land consolidation, the construction of dams and quarrying activities in recent decades. Nevertheless, we were able to make many new discoveries and after 6 weeks of fieldwork we can tell a story of transformation and rediscovery. Here are first glimpses of our newly uncovered sites and preliminary results.