Anemurium

Anemourion

Türkiye · Mersin

Ancient cityExcavation ongoing
Approximate period400 BCE — 700 CEClassical, Hellenistic, Roman and Early Byzantine See on the map ↓

In brief

Excavations are investigating the Roman and Early Byzantine buildings of the port city near Cape Anamur. The tombs with frescoes in the necropolis provide important evidence of funerary rituals and painting.

What was found?

  • 1Vaulted tomb with frescoes

    Tomb B I 16 contains frescoes depicting gods, personifications of the seasons, and worldly celebrations. According to researchers, the tomb's architectural additions offer clues to commemorative rituals performed within the family.

  • 2Odeion

    This is a performance building with preserved seating rows, orchestra, and stage building. The U-shaped vaulted gallery beneath it is among its striking architectural features.

  • 3Mosaic pavements

    The floors of the odeion's orchestra and vaulted gallery are covered with mosaics. They show that mosaics were used to decorate public spaces in the city.

  • 4Kaikilianos inscription

    This inscription records the wrestler Kaikilianos's success in the adult category. It also names Flavianus, who organized the competition, and states the honor awarded to the athlete.

What does it point to?

The performance buildings and athlete's inscription show that spectacles and competitions had a place in the city's public life. The tomb paintings suggest that beliefs and everyday celebrations came together in commemorative spaces.

What did it teach us?

  1. The Kaikilianos inscription documented the participant, organizer, and award in a wrestling competition held in the city.
  2. Tomb B I 16 showed that tomb structures were modified through additions over time.
  3. According to researchers, the arrangements in the tomb provided evidence that families performed rituals here.

Images

Anemurium Public bath 5361
Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Anemurium Odeon 8866
Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Anemurium Large bath mosaic 5391
Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Anemurium path
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Daniel Phelps · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Latest news / selected archive

In 2024, excavations around the harbor baths uncovered an inscription honoring an athlete, believed to date to the Roman period.

Record

Culture
Roman and Byzantine
Team / historical
Mehmet Tekocak / Selçuk Üniversitesi
Coordinates
36.0243°, 32.8026°

Sources

  1. muze.gov.tr
  2. hoyuk.gov.tr
  3. aa.com.tr
  4. en.wikipedia.org
  5. Kültür Varlıkları ve Müzeler Genel Müdürlüğü — Anamur Müzesi ve Anemurium

Nearby excavations


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12.000

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