Update excavations in ancient Olympos

It is with great pleasure that I read about the latest excavation in Olympos. After all, my last visit dates back to 2013 (see: Discovering Olympos, next to Chimera) and I can rightfully expect an update. 

Let me start with the Byzantine bathhouse that was attached to the Bishop’s Residence. It has been described as a private but still semi-public complex covering approximately 200 square meters. When I explored Olympos, I remember following a signpost “Mosaics” taking me through a swampy area to the remains of a building from the 5^th or 6^th century AD, which had been identified as a Basilica or the Residence of the Bishop, paved with mosaics of birds and other animals. 

Recent excavations confirmed this was indeed the Residence of the Bishop that held a Bath complex with a heating system for the floor and walls. In his days, the Bishop not only played a religious role, but he was also a civic authority that controlled Olympos’ wealth and resources. This may explain why the Baths had an extra entrance from the main street, welcoming the citizens of Olympos onto the premises free of charge on certain days of the week to care for their health. That’s great news! 

Olympos has a necropolis on the right-hand side of the entrance, holding mainly marble family graves carrying Greek inscriptions. At the foot of the Acropolis, close to the harbor, I had found a group of well-preserved sarcophagi that had a lot to tell about their owners, who threatened to fine any stranger who would occupy their tombs illegally. 

[Picture from Turkiye Today]

Since my visit, two more monumental tombs have been found in this area, although in 722 pieces. Another striking discovery is the marble sarcophagus for an aristocratic family found in 50 fragments. The top lid is occupied by an elegant lady resting on a bed. The broken base features hunting scenes, which the Romans used as symbols of power and wealth, motifs referring to immortality, and the figures of Nike and Eros, which could be linked to memory, continuity, and the hope for a good afterlife. The tomb stood inside a ten-meter-high vaulted monument that is sadly very much damaged. 

Once the restoration is completed, these three sarcophagi will return to their initial location to offer the visitor a rare glimpse into the lives and traditions of the people of Olympos in antiquity. I wholeheartedly applaud the initiative!