Limantepe
The town of Limantepe, sometimes spelled Liman Tepe, located on Turkey's western coast is the site of a prehistoric (Bronze Age) settlement that includes an ancient port dating from 2500 years located underwater offshore.[1] The area is situated in the urban zone of the coastal town of Urla near İzmir. In pre-classical antiquity and during the Hellenistic and Roman eras, it was a Greek town called Larisa.
The harbor settlement was inhabited starting from 6000 years ago and was equipped with a
The archaeological site was discovered by
Cultural layers
Three important cultural layers apart from those of the classical period have been encountered at Limantepe up to the present, as well as evidence for the presence of Chalcolithic remains.
Early Bronze
The lowest layer belongs to the Early Bronze Age and dates from the 3rd millennium B.C. onwards. Three phases of this layer have been excavated so far and the number of phases is expected to increase as the excavations proceed.
The ancient settlement of Kastri on Syros island belongs to the Kastri culture from the early Bronze Age in Greece, dating to the period ca. 2500–2200 BC.
Anatolian Trade Network
This Kastri settlement, belonging to this period, shows numerous cultural connection with Limantepe. This was an intermediary in the trade that went from Limantepe towards the Cyclades.[3]
Kastri has a similar fortification system with horseshoe-shaped bastions as Limantepe.
The pottery assemblage from Kastri is also very similar to that found in Limantepe and elsewhere in Anatolia at the time. The depas vessels, the bell-shaped cups, and incised
This trade network went through the whole of Anatolia, as well as Thrace, and towards the Mesopotamia.
Evidence from this early period in Limantepe also indicates cultural ties with the nearby prehistoric sites of
Middle Bronze Age
Some of these cultural ties continued also in the Middle Bronze Age.
The second cultural layer of Limantepe consists of five phases that belong to the Middle Bronze Age and which dates from the first half of the 2nd millennium B.C. onwards.
Late Bronze
The third layer belongs to the Late Bronze Age and covers the time period from the 14th to the 13th century B.C., roughly contemporary with the
Iron Age
Consequently, along with remains from the Classical Age in Klazomenai, Limantepe reflects a history of 4000 years. It is argued that this could make Limantepe the oldest, as well as the longest inhabited center of the Aegean coast of Anatolia. One of the most important finds at the site was made in 2007 when a wooden merchant ship anchor dating from the 7th century B.C. and which is likely to be the oldest ever found, was discovered wedged in the sea ground during the underwater explorations of Limantepe.[1][6]
References
- ^ a b c d Ancient town beneath the sea July 17, 2009 Worldfocus
- ^ Joe I. Boyce (2006). "Marine geophysical mapping of Bronze Age harbor structures, Limantepe, Turkey". School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University. Archived from Presentation summary: the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ Vasif Sahoglu (2005), THE ANATOLIAN TRADE NETWORK AND THE IZMIR REGION DURING THE EARLY BRONZE AGE. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 24(4):339-361, p.352
- ^ Vasif Sahoglu (2005), THE ANATOLIAN TRADE NETWORK AND THE IZMIR REGION DURING THE EARLY BRONZE AGE. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 24(4):339-361, p.352
- ^ Edgar Peltenburg (2007). "East Mediterranean interactions in the 3rd millemium BC". School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh.
- ^ "Wooden anchor could be oldest found". Discovery Channel. 2007-05-17. Archived from News article: the original on 2008-12-06.
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Resources
- Beverly Nicole Goodman (2006). "The Paleography of Limantepe, Turkey: A multi-proxy geoarchaeological study". Department of Maritime Civilizations, University of Haifa. Archived from Presentation summary: the original on 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - Armağan Erkanal - Hayat Erkanal (2007). "Vorbericht ueber die Grabungen 1979 in praehistorischen Klazomenai/Limantepe" (PDF) (in German). Hacettepe University. Archived from Article: the original on 2011-07-22.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - Beverly Nicole Goodman (2009). "A geoarchaeological multi-proxy study unveils the ancient paleocoastline and harbors of Liman Tepe Turkey". Terra Nova.[dead link]
Sources for introductory information
- "Limantepe". Focus Mediterranean Magazine. 2007. Archived from Introductory information page: the original on 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - Introductory information page: "Answering Ankara's call for an underwater project". University of Haifa Focus. 2000.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - Peter Tomkins (1997). Introductory information page: "Answering Ankara's call for an underwater project". Sheffield Graduate Journal of Archaeology, University of Sheffield.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help)