Perge
Parha
Türkiye · Antalya
In brief
Perge, in the district of Aksu, is one of Pamphylia's important cities, and systematic excavations began in 1946. Excavations have uncovered traces of early settlement as well as Hellenistic defensive structures and the monumental urban fabric of the Roman period.
What was found?
- 1Hellenistic south gate and round towers
These are preserved parts of the city’s Hellenistic defensive system. They show the settlement’s expansion southward and how its entrances were protected.
- 2Statues depicting Plancia Magna
These are statues representing Plancia Magna, one of the city’s prominent women. They contribute to the study of women’s public visibility and place in urban administration.
- 3Colonnaded street and water channel
The channel running along the street is considered together with the monumental fountains and baths. It shows the prominent place of water in urban design.
- 4Fragment of a terracotta vessel lid with figural decoration
It was found during the 2024 stadium excavation. According to the researcher, its relief depicts an execution carried out with wild animals; it is a visual document of Late Antique spectacle culture.
What does it point to?
The finds from Perge show that defenses, water infrastructure, and public spaces furnished with statues were planned together. The female statues shed light on social representation in the city, while the scene on the vessel lid, according to the researcher, illuminates a local interpretation of Roman spectacle culture.
What did it teach us?
- Showed that the Hellenistic defensive arrangement was repaired and used in later periods.
- Documented water as one of the fundamental elements of the colonnaded street’s design.
- Enabled the study of women’s public role through statue finds.
Images
Latest news / selected archive
Research published in 2025 interpreted the relief on a vessel lid fragment found during the 2024 stadium excavation as a scene of execution by wild animals.
Record
- Culture
- Pamphylian; Greek; Roman; Byzantine
- First modern dig
- 1946
- Coordinates
- 36.9614°, 30.8539°
Sources
Nearby excavations
- Aspendos 29 km
- Side 52 km
- Phaselis 56 km
- Olympus in Lycia 71 km
- Sagalassos 85 km
- Limyra 92 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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Arkeoloji Dergisi ↗
All excavation sites (385)
Türkiye
- Acemhöyük
- Aizanoi
- Alabanda
- Alacahöyük
- Amos
- Ani
- Aphrodisias
- Arslantepe Mound
- Aspendos
- Assos
- Ayanis Fortress
- Aşıklı Höyük
- Barcın Höyük
- Blaundus
- Boncuklu Höyük
- Can Hasan I
- Carchemish
- Claros Sanctuary
- Clazomenae
- Domuztepe
- Ephesus
- Euromus
- Gordion
- Göbekli Tepe
- Hadrianopolis in Paphlagonia
- Hattusha
- Hierapolis
- Iasos
- Kaman-Kalehöyük
- Karahantepe
- Karatepe-Aslantaş
- Kaunos
- Kibyra
- Knidos
- Kültepe-Kanesh
- Laodicea on the Lycus
- Letoon Sanctuary
- Limyra
- Magnesia on the Maeander
- Medieval City of Beçin
- Metropolis in Ionia
- Miletus
- Myra
- Nemrut Dağ
- Nysa on the Maeander
- Olympus in Lycia
- Oymaağaç Höyük — Nerik
- Patara
- Pergamon
- Perge
- Phaselis
- Priene
- Sagalassos
- Sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma
- Sanctuary of Labraunda
- Sapinuwa
- Sardis
- Sayburç
- Side
- Stratonikeia
- Tell Atchana – Alalakh
- Teos
- Tripolis on the Meander
- Troy
- Uluburun Shipwreck
- Xanthos
- Yenikapı – Theodosian Harbour Excavations
- Yeşilova Höyük
- Yumuktepe
- Zerzevan Castle
- Zeugma
- Zincirli Höyük — Sam'al
- Çatalhöyük
- Çavuştepe Fortress
- Çayönü
- Çukuriçi Höyük

