Lost ancient island found in the Aegean

İZMİR – Doğan News Agency

DHA Photos

A lost island where the ancient city of Kane was located has been found by geo-archaeologists in the Aegean province of İzmir’s Dikili district. The island was mentioned in ancient sources. 

During surface surveys carried out near Dikili’s Bademli village, geo-archaeologists examined samples from the underground layers and learned one of the peninsulas there was in fact an island in the ancient era, and its distance from the mainland was filled with alluviums over time. 

With a comprehensive research project carried out by geo-archaeologists from Cologne University and led by the German Archaeology Institute, the relation of harbors on Dikili’s Karadağ peninsula was examined. 


Archaeologists from universities in İzmir, Karlsruhe, Manisa, Munich, Kiel, Cologne, Rostock and Southampton, prehistorians, geographers, topographers and geophysics experts worked on the research project. Following the works, the quality of the harbors in the ancient city of Kane was revealed. Also, the location of the third island, which was lost, has been identified. 

Archaeologist Prof. Felix Pirson said, considering the architectural remnants and ceramics in the village, they had discovered the location of Kane on the peninsula in Bademli village. 

“It had been a matter of discussion if the islands here were the Arginus Islands or not until our research began. But then we revealed that the ancient Kane was located on an island in the past. The strait between this island and the land was filled with alluviums and created this peninsula. We will get more evident info after examining the geological samples.”

Within the scope of this project, Celal Bayar University Archaeology Department member Güler Ateş said they had discovered the location of the third island mentioned in ancient sources. 

He also said they had also revealed the quality of harbors in the ancient city of Kane, adding, “It is understood that this place was like a way station among important routes such as Lesbos and Adramytteion [today Edremit] in the north and Elaia [Zeytindağ], the main harbor of the ancient city of Pergamon, in the south.” 


Commander executed 

The ancient city of Kane, which gave its name to the peninsula, was known as a harbor, chosen by the Romans during the war against Antiochas III in 191-190 B.C.

The famous battle of Arginusae took place in 406 B.C. in the southwest of the ancient city between the Athenians and Spartans. In the war, even though the Athenians won a victory against the Spartans, their commander was tried when they returned to the country and executed because they did not help the wounded soldiers and did not bury the dead.