Clazomenae

Κλαζομεναί

Türkiye · İzmir

Ancient cityExcavation ongoing
Approximate period4,000 BCE — 500 CELate Bronze Age; Iron Age; Archaic; Classical; Hellenistic See on the map ↓

In brief

Clazomenae, around İskele in Urla, is one of Ionia's important production and harbor centers. Excavations document olive oil, pottery and metal production, while underwater investigations document the harbor's structure and use.

What was found?

  • 1Archaic olive oil workshop

    This is a facility for large-scale oil production dating to the 6th century BC. Its presses and oil-separation installations help explain the technical stages of production.

  • 2Band-decorated amphorae

    These vessels, characteristic of Klazomenai, were used to store and transport olive oil and wine. They provide tangible evidence of the connection between production and foreign trade.

  • 3Terracotta sarcophagi

    These burial containers were produced in Klazomenai and are known for their colorful, rich decoration. They demonstrate local skill in large terracotta objects and the tradition of decorating tombs.

What does it point to?

Olive oil production in Klazomenai went beyond simple equipment serving household needs. According to researchers, exports became important in the workshop's later phase, and transport vessels supported this commercial orientation.

What did it teach us?

  1. It shows that specialized facilities were established for large-scale olive oil production in the Archaic period.
  2. The presses and separation installations document the use of techniques based on mechanical processing and liquid separation in oil production.
  3. The amphorae show the place of storing and transporting agricultural products in the city's economy.
  4. The decorated sarcophagi show that ceramic production extended beyond everyday vessels to the manufacture of tombs.

Images

Klazomenai Archaic houses 01 (1991)
Mark Landon · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Record

Culture
Ionian; Greek
Team / historical
Yaşar Ersoy / Yaşar University; Ankara University for harbor research
Coordinates
38.3582°, 26.7676°

Sources

  1. link.springer.com
  2. ege.edu.tr
  3. dosim.ktb.gov.tr
  4. en.wikipedia.org
  5. İzmir İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü — Klazomenai
  6. İzmir İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü — Arkeoloji Müzesi
  7. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı — Kazı Sonuçları Toplantısı, Klazomenai Çalışmaları

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12.000

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