#Department Of Art History Professor Dr. Kadir Pektaş

Beçin Ancient City sheds light on the history

Excavations are carried out regularly in the ancient city, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2012. In the works where many artifacts are brought to light, the surviving historical structures are restored and brought to tourism. Head of the Excavation Delegation, Istanbul Medeniyet University Faculty of Letters, Department of Art History Professor Dr. Kadir Pektaş, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the works in the ancient city were carried out meticulously. Stating that they reach important data every year in the archaeological studies in the ancient city, which is one of the special places where Anatolian history can be watched uninterruptedly, Pektaş said, "This year's excavations started about 1.5 months ago. Our excavations continue in 3 different areas. We are doing excavations in the cistern with pomegranate inside the Inner Fortress, in the tower section at the foot of the walls just outside the Inner Fortress, and around the area where the chapel is located." Noting that this year's excavations were carried out by 40 people, 14 of whom were experts, Pektaş noted that they are also working on the evaluation of the finds obtained from the excavations and the preparation and implementation of restoration projects. Pektaş said that every piece found made them very excited and used the following expressions: "During our excavations, finds dating back to the 6th century BC, especially in the tower section just outside the inner castle, were found. In the area where the chapel is located, finds from the Byzantine period to the middle of the Ottoman period were uncovered. Here, too, more ceramic finds, coins, other metal finds and jewelry were found. Our excavation work in the cistern in the Inner Castle continues. When our work here is completed, we will prepare the restoration and exhibition project of this place and present it to the Board of Monuments." Emphasizing that in the previous years, they revealed that uninterrupted settlement continued from the Hellenistic period to the Republican era, Pektaş said that there was an uninterrupted construction in the city from every period, layer by layer. Stating that the bottom history of the Muğla region and Milas will emerge from Beçin, Pektaş added that these data have started to come to light, especially with this year's excavations.