Ancient temple found in Turkey's south

MERSİN – Doğan News Agency



This season marks the 18th year of excavations at 3,000-year-old Soli Pompeiopolis, one of the most important coastal towns in the Roman era.



The head of the excavations, 9 Eylül University Museum Department Prof. Remzi Yağcı, said they found a structure in the ancient city and estimated that it was a temple from 2,600 years ago.



Stating that the ancient city was home to important treasures of Cilician history, Yağcı said, “Wherever you dig, you find rich artifacts from the Roman and Byzantine periods. Last year we found the stone pieces as well as rectangle structure [of the temple]. This year we brought this structure to light and we believe that it is an archaic temple that served in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. Excavations also unearthed ceramic pieces, kitchen tools and pitchers from the Geometric period to the Byzantine period.”



This year’s excavations have been carried out in the ancient city with a team of 70 people, including archaeologists, restorers, survey engineers and students.



The team’s goal is to unearth the Colonization period in the ancient city.



A 2,600-year-old temple has been unearthed during excavations in the ancient city of Soli Pompeiopolis in the southern province of Mersin.