Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Arts
  • Cinema
  • Music
  • Events
  • Portrait
  • Reviews
  • Performing Arts

1,600-year-old steelyard weight found in Turkey's Hadrianopolis

by Anadolu Agency

KARABÜK, Turkey Dec 01, 2021 - 8:58 am GMT+3
Ersin Çelikbaş shows the steelyard weight found in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, Karabük, northern Turkey, Nov. 30, 2021. (AA Photo)
Ersin Çelikbaş shows the steelyard weight found in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, Karabük, northern Turkey, Nov. 30, 2021. (AA Photo)
by Anadolu Agency Dec 01, 2021 8:58 am

A 1,600-year-old steelyard weight has been discovered during the ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, located in the Eskipazar district of Turkey's northern Karabük province.

Hadrianopolis is believed to have been used as a settlement area in the late Hellenistic, Roman and early Byzantine eras. This year's excavations in the ancient city focused on the emergence of a square structure, Karabük University archaeologist Ersin Çelikbaş, who is supervising the excavations, told Anadolu Agency (AA). The 1,600-year-old steelyard weight – used as a counterweight in steelyard balances – was unearthed in the square structure, which was uncovered 50 meters (164 feet) south of an ancient church during excavations. Arrowheads and masks were also discovered during the dig, said Çelikbaş.

An aerial view of the square structure where the steelyard weight was found in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, Karabük, northern Turkey, Nov. 30, 2021. (AA Photo)
An aerial view of the square structure where the steelyard weight was found in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, Karabük, northern Turkey, Nov. 30, 2021. (AA Photo)

He said that the steelyard weight is disc-shaped with an inscription saying, "Theodoros, official in charge of the imperial treasury,” a marking that tells scholars a great deal about the artifact and its setting.

According to Çelikbaş, being "in charge of the imperial treasury” denotes the center of the Byzantine Empire – namely Istanbul, known as Constantinople before it was conquered by the Ottomans in 1453.

"From the weight we have, we can say that there was an important trade network in Hadrianopolis,” he said.

"This is important data proving that commercial elements were supplied from the capital of the empire here,” he added. "The weight we have belongs to the fourth century B.C., which indicates about 1,600 years ago from the present,” he explained.

A close-up of the steelyard weight found in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, Karabük, northern Turkey, Nov. 30, 2021. (AA Photo)
A close-up of the steelyard weight found in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, Karabük, northern Turkey, Nov. 30, 2021. (AA Photo)

Excavations in Hadrianopolis over the last year have uncovered structures such as two baths, churches, one defense structure, tombs, an amphitheater, one arched and domed structure, a monumental cultic niche, city walls, villas and other monumental buildings.

The ancient city is famous for mosaics on the floor of churches, where the biblical rivers Gihon, Pishon, Tigris and the Euphrates, as well as many animals, are depicted, such as horses, elephants, panthers, deer, and griffins – a legendary creature with the head of an eagle and body of a lion.

Any movable artifacts found in the excavations of the city are taken to the museums in the surrounding provinces, while they are cataloged and preserved, said Çelikbaş.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Dec 01, 2021 10:21 am
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    archaeology hadrianopolis karabük
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states’ early diplomatic maneuvering occurred in the broader context of the nations’ strategic interests and should not be confused with unequivocal support for Russia. (Shutterstock Photo)

    Gulf states changing the face of Ukraine war

    gulf-states
    Leader of the far-right Danish political party Stram Kurs, Rasmus Paludan, stands outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. (AP Photo)

    Far-right politician Paludan to burn Quran in Denmark

    ISLAMOPHOBIA

    7 killed in armed attack on synagogue in East Jerusalem

    ISRAEL

    US tells Türkiye, Sweden, Finland to solve issues among themselves

    TÜRKIYE-US-RELATIONS
    No Image
    Russia: Thousands detained amid rallies for Navalny
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021