Page 82 - TINA Dergi Sayi 11

TINA

Denizcilik Arkeolojisi Dergisi

20
It is certain that the remains of these two build- discovered in 1990s . There was probably a temple
ings belong to a defensive sea wall, extending to rising here, overlooking the entrance to the harbor
the northeast from the promontory, and connecting bay; a temple dedicated to Apollo, the most import-
to a big tower with a circular plan. While it has a ant god of Lycia, that could have been easily seen by
masonry technique of the Late Antique period, all any sea traveler entering the harbor bay.
of the blocks are very similar to the blocks used The southeastern border of Patara is geographi-
17
for the Early Hellenistic fortifications of Patara . cally delimited by the Kurşunlu Hill. Similar to the
These blocks belonging to an Early Hellenistic sea- elavation mentioned before, it has steep and high
wall, which were probably found in the same place, rocks on the side overlooking the harbor bay. As
remained idle, particularly during the Pax Romana described earlier, part of the Early Hellenistic wall
period, and were destroyed over time, and re-used from the Doğucasarı extends until the top of this
during the Late Antiquity. In this case, the slipway hill. To the northeast of the plain on the hill is a big
of military ships may be cistern, some parts carved out of
contemporary with the the rock while to the northwest,
‘Early Hellenistic Seawall”. there is a big monumental tomb
Opposite to this wall and from the Roman Period, facing the
21
tower, there may be another entrance to the harbor bay . It rises
wall and tower extending almost opposite to the lighthouse.
from the western skirt of Certainly, it could also have been
the Tepecik Hill until the seen from far away by sailors, and
entrance. In the ancient pe- maybe used as a point of bearing.
riod, entrances to military A quick excursion along the
harbors housing ship sheds seashore starting from the light-
were usually closed with house revealed a rich architectural
higher walls and towers Fig. 9: Bataklık içinde, Roma Dönemine ait archive of the Patara harbor bay,
(limen kleistos) . Further- mezar kalıntısı, detay, doğudan görünüş (Pa- consisting of mostly very well-pre-
18
more, military harbors were tara Kazı Arşivi) served buildings. Undoubtedly,
separated from the city by a Fig. 9: Remains of a tomb from the Roman this archive of which a major part
wall/walls commanding the Period inside the wetland, detail, a view from has been hidden under the reeds
19
entrance (diateichisma), East (Patara Excavations Archive) and muddy waters of the swamp
which was most likely the (a few of these architectural ruins
case in Patara. This view is will be described below), as already
supported by the slipway corridors and availability seen, is a result of development activities, starting
of parallel axes in the mid-section of the Medieval at least during the 4th century BC and spanning for
wall. It is likely that under this single-gate wall approximately next 1400 years. Naturally, it is not
which separated the Medieval city from the promon- all about architectural archive in the Patara harbor
tory, and thus, from the ship sheds, there may be the bay, as in every ancient harbor. Additionally, there
foundation of another wall from the Early Hellenis- is a range of archives, including various interrelated
tic period. finds (daily utilities), floral/faunal remains, for ex-
To the west of the Patara Harbor Street and Bou- ample, hidden traces of tectonic changes that would
leuterion lay an elevation consisting of high cliffs be illuminated by archaeology with the help of many
on the side overlooking the harbor bay. Although we other auxiliary disciplines. A collaborative analysis
have limited information about the buildings in this of these archives will enable us to make a vivid de-
area, there are remains of both religious (at least one scription of the major part of the city history of the
chapel) and non-religious buildings from the Christi- Patara harbor bay. Available scientific data will not
anity on the side of the harbor bay. Here, pedestal of only be limited to this ancient city, but also make a
a tripod dedicated to Apollo Patroos (Fatherly) was great contribution to research on any ancient harbor.

17 DÜNDAR – RAUH 2017.
18 BLACKMAN – RANKOW 2013.
19 BLACKMAN – RANKOW 2013.
20 ONUR 2001.
21 IŞIK 1995.

80