Would it not be great to know that the baths of Sarikaya will not only open to the tourists but would also allow us to actually bathe in these thermal waters?
This semi-Olympic pool at the foot of this sturdy Roman construction from the 2nd century AD is also known as “Basilica Therma”. Nearby, it seems that two more thermal pools have been located. The water temperature of 48-49 degrees Celsius is pretty high for bathing but is said to have healing properties. What are we waiting for?
The Roman soldiers found their way to these luxurious baths where they used to rest before setting sail from one of the ports on the Black Sea . The place must have met high standards since recent findings confirmed that the hot water sources were also used in the floor heating system.
It would not be a proper Roman Bath if it were not decorated with an adequate number of statues of gods and goddesses, and discovering a snake figure is evidently the symbol of Asclepius, the god of medicine and health. The premises were still in use during the Christian era since a large baptismal font has been excavated and some pools were even used in the days of the Seljuk and Ottoman occupation.
Sarikaya is situated less than 80 km north of Kayseri and 325 km southeast of Ankara
For our own bathing and in spite of the six years of excavations spent already, we’ll have to wait a few more years till the project is completed. I am also curious to learn the name of this Roman town and the full role it played in antiquity.
[The first picture is from Sarikaya Muhabir and the second picture is from The Daily News]
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