It is not really surprising to hear that no
previous excavations were ever carried out at Amos – after all, there
are so many antique sites on the west and southwest coastline of Turkey Rhodes
on the mainland, although the inhabitants never became Rhodian citizens. In any
case, at the end of the 2nd century BC the Romans gave all of Lycia and Caria to the
Rhodians whose control lasted until the 2nd century AD – making up
the so-called Rhodian Peraea. The
rocky and steep Loryma Peninsula lies at its very heart and this is where we
find Amos,
near the modern town of Turunç
Excavations are planned to start in autumn 2016
and are estimated to be spread over three years.
Amos, meaning “the goddess temple” was known as Samnaios
in Hellenistic times, and its history dates back to at least the 2nd
century BC based on a rental agreement unearthed by nobody less than George Bean (see: Turkey
Beyond the Maeander) in 1948. The text is very detailed as it
contains precise instructions regarding the payment of the rent, the provision
made by the guarantors, as well as the rules regarding the development of the
property. It further specifies among others that the tenant must plant a
minimum of vines and fig trees, and dig a drainage canal. In case of
non-compliance penalties will apply, but fines are also claimed for cutting
wood on the property, burying a corpse or encroaching on the public road.
Yet this will be the first time that serious
archaeological digs will be carried out and they sound quite promising. Today
we can see the half buried remains of a theatre and a good stretch of the
ancient city walls that are 1.8
meter thick and stand 3.5 meter tall built in a
style that is characteristic for the early Hellenistic period. The ramparts are
punctuated with fortified towers and a gate on the northern side. There is also
an acropolis where remains of a small temple have been located.
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