Sunken column finally delivered to the Temple of Apollo in Claros

As I mentioned in a previous article “The shipwreck of Kızılburun” a late Hellenistic ship sank near the promontory of Kızılburun before reaching its destination with on board freshly quarried marble intended for the Temple of Apollo in Claros (about 40 miles from Kızılburun).  Among the many remains and artifacts, divers found eight drums for an entire ten-meter high column and its capital in Doric style, although at that time (late 2nd or 1st century BC) builders generally preferred Ionic or Corinthian columns.

[Picture from Hurriyet Daily News]

It was a colossal task to raise the massive marble column drums, each weighing between 6.5 and 7.5 tons and a system was developed whereby nylon straps were put around the drum and then attached to heavy duty balloons.

The column elements indicated that were destined for a monumental construction and after serious investigations, archaeologists were able to make the connection with the nearby Temple of Apollo at Claros. When I was in Claros a few years ago, I was utterly amazed by the size of one of the drums lying in the grass and I took a picture of it, leaving my camera cover on top to show the shear size!

By now a team of archaeologists have carried out works to determine the place of the column in the lay-out of the temple and they were able to determine that it was the sixth column. The original idea was to present this column in the nearby museum but it was much more appropriate to put it in its rightful place. And so it happened: delivery was finally made, only 2,200 years later. Isn’t that exciting?