The Ancient City of Phaselis and its Territorium Research Project is a five-year surface exploration Project. It was prepared under the presidency of Akdeniz (Mediterranean) University, Ancient History Division of the History Department, which was presented in 2011 to the Turkish Republic Ministry of Culture and Tourism, The General Directorate for Cultural Heritage and Museums. The Project reflects of our intention to expand upon a series of excavations and surface explorations conducted by Akdeniz University to the West of Antalya (in the ancient cities of Ksanthos, Tlos, Patara, Myra, Andriake and Rhodiapolis) towards central Antalya. Our aim is to render Phaselis, which for the last thirty years has been renowned for its“sun, beaches and sea”, both academically and publicly attractive, through by carrying out cross/interdisciplinary scientific studies in the city. Thus we will contribute to the recent developments in the cultural and touristic life of Antalya and also create a most productive, national research and field of research application for the Mediterranean Civilizations Research Institute.
As the cities’ economic, political, cultural, social and spatial dimensions and these dimensions’ relate at different levels, being both context- and process- oriented structures, changing and transforming over the course of time, scientists specialized in topography and the natural sciences, such as geomorphology and ecology would also be involved in the task, as participants in the Phaselis surface explorations. This would enable us to take the necessary measures in order to transform Phaselis into an increasingly understood living space, to both detect and protect ecological factors including the flora and fauna, the fundamental dynamics of city life. Moreover, rehabilitating Phaselis’ lagoon and giving it its original form will enrich the biological diversity of the region. From this perspective and in the context of Phaselis, The Surface Exploration of the Ancient City of Phaselis and its Territorium will provide for past and future research a binding and for future research a leading comprehensive basis and constitute a holistic source of research.
Rendering the research of the city’s history and the site management systematic and continuous are of critical importance since these may directly affect the results. The research conducted at Phaselis from 1811 onward, through moving spasmodically in different directions and for different aims and purposes extended to 2000, lacked these two fundamental elements. Although these self-sacrificing researches were scientifically very productive, since they were unable to exhibit continuity, they don’t comprise a detailed source of data – a databank, which would make it possible for us to clearly understand the city’s situation within both the region and in the Mediterranean. During The Surface Exploration of the Ancient City of Phaselis and its Territorium, begun in the 200th anniversary year of the discovery of Phaselis, we aim to collect data within a framework of pre-determined targets and through employing systematic processes and then to make this data available to be studied methodically and scientifically by different research groups. While doing this, we intend to reveal multidimensional and controllable new information through interdisciplinary working systematics, not only consisting of the branches of archaeology/underwater archaeology, epigraphy, architecture, numismatics and history, but also bringing together all of the sciences relating to the city in antiquity.
It aims to analyse and determine the city’s historical-geographical context, the above ground ruins and the remains of its material culture, its hydrographic and demographic context over time and the human and physical conditions of the topography of the territory of, and including, the ancient settlement, within the perspective of field archaeology.
It includes illuminating Phaselis’ historiography as well as its administrative, economic and cultural life through both the already-known and the newly discovered written records concerning the city and its territorium.
It is focused on evaluating Phaselis’ settlement archaeology within timescale of the city’s historical development, in the context of its architectural texture and the immovable cultural heritage.
It aims to create academic and social awareness through multi-dimensional studies of the diversity of the endemic plants and animals of Phaselis and its hinterland, including research on the ancient city’s cosmetics production and its past capacity in industrial agriculture, from the architectural texture and the floral-faunal depictions on the coins, to the present day detection, preservation and conservation of surviving endemic examples.
It aims to document process-oriented ecological factors through vectoral studies at Phaselis and its territorium; the study of the diversity of lichen and fungi living on the archeological ruins, the negative effects of seasonal changes on the city’s lagoon and harbours; investigating any increase in mosquito population and the probable decline in city population due to epidemics.
Its aim is to focus upon the harbour equipment, structures and underwater ruins of the city which was with its three harbours, jetties and lagoon, one of the more important ports on the East Mediterranean trade routes from the Bronze Age into Late Antiquity.
[Translation will be added soon] Akdeniz Uygarlıkları Araştırma Enstitüsünün daha önce Akdeniz Üniversitesi Yerleşkesi’nde düzenlediği “Fora Yelken: Akdeniz ve Gemileri” adlı sergi, Phaselis Antik Kenti’ne taşındı. Geçmişten bugüne Akdeniz’de kullanılan gemilerin kara kalem çizimleri ve bilgi panolarını içeren sergi, antik kenti ziyarete gelen turistlerden büyük ilgi gördü. Akdeniz’de geçmişten bugüne kullanılan gemilerin Kara Kalem çizimleri …
Akdeniz Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Biyoloji Bölümü Öğretim Üyesi Doç. Dr. Göktürk: “Bilim insanlarımızın çalışmasıyla artık her sekiz günde Türkiye’den yeni bir tür tanıtılır hale geldi. Bunun yanında Türkiye’nin gidilemeyen daha o kadar çok yeri var ki özellikle doğuda… Buralara da gidilse tür sayısının daha da artacağını düşünüyorum” Akdeniz Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Biyoloji Bölümü Öğretim Üyesi …
[Translation will be added soon] Antalya’daki Phaselis antik kentinde yapılan arkeolojik araştırmaların sonucunda 2 bin 500 yıldır yetişen kırmızı zambaklarla parfüm, güllerden de yağ üretilecek. Antalya’nın Kemer ilçesinin yakınlarındaki Phaselis antik kentinde geçen yıl başlatılan yüzey araştırmalarının bu yıl ikincisi gerçekleştiriliyor. Akdeniz Uygarlıkları Araştırma Enstitüsü Müdürü Prof. Dr. Murat Arslan’ın başkanlığında yürütülen araştırmaların sonucunda, flora, …
[Translation will be added soon] Phaselos Projesi: Antik Fasülye ile Phaselis-İskenderiye Ekspedisyonu Phaselis Antik Kenti’nde adını benzerliğinden dolayı fasülye kelimesinden alan bir gemi türü olan phaselos, Akdeniz Uygarlıkları Araştırma Enstitüsü tarafından yürütülen proje kapsamında yeniden canlandırılacak. Uluburun batığının replikasını da yapan 360 Derece Araştırma Grubu üyelerinin destek vereceği çalışmada Phaselos, Phaselis Antik Kenti içinde tamamen …
