10 clay amphorae, a type of terracotta jar, believed to date back to the second century B.C. were discovered during excavations conducted at the ancient city of Amos in the Marmaris district of Muğla.
The excavations in Amos, located on the Asarcık Hill 20 kilometers (12 miles) southwest of Marmaris, which was one of the prominent cities of the Bozburun Peninsula, known as Karia Khersonesos in the ancient period, continue under the leadership of associate professor Mehmet Gürbüzer from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Arts, Department of Archaeology. With the support of the Muğla Governorate Investment Monitoring and Coordination Directorate and the main sponsorship of Marmaris Municipality and Marmaris Chamber of Commerce, new findings have been unearthed in the excavation works.
Adjacent to the eastern side of the city theater, researchers have been working in a structure, referred to as "Thermopolis" in the ancient period, that once had a function similar to today's restaurants and a section presumed to be used as a storage area for the restaurant was discovered. In this section, 10 amphorae dating back to the second century B.C., one of them intact and others in pieces, were found near the surface.
Gürbüzer, the excavation's director, commenting on the discovery, said that the new find in the ancient city heralds the continuation of the excavation works for a long time.
Stating that this is the fifth year of the excavations initiated in 2019, he said: "The amphorae we found as a result of our recent excavation works indicate the existence of dining areas around the theater within the ancient city. Moreover, the amphorae we found are both very close to the surface and have very low rates of damage. I believe that with the ongoing excavation works in the coming years, we can reveal the true face of the ancient city of Amos."
Mutlu Ayhan, the president of the Marmaris Chamber of Commerce, expressed excitement upon hearing about the amphorae, stating: "Our professor and team discover a new place related to the city every year. In addition to the previously revealed necropolis, temple and agora stairs, this year, a stage building was uncovered. Finally, the amphorae found in an ancient cellar excited us a lot. We are pleased that the support given has yielded results."
Marmaris Mayor Mehmet Oktay also noted that the ongoing work in Amos contributes to tourism, culture and art every day.
