Amphorae and water jugs found in Metropolis for the first time

ISTANBUL

The amphorae and water jugs, unearthed during this year’s excavations in Metropolis, will be delivered to the museum after repair.

In a recent discovery, 150 amphorae and water jugs, approximately 1,800-year-old, have been found in a well, which was opened during the ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Metropolis.

Excavation Director Professor Serdar Aybek said that for the first time in Metropolis, amphorae and water jugs were found in bulk.

Excavations have been carried out since 1990 in the ancient city of Metropolis, known as the “City of the Mother Goddess,” located between the Yeniköy and Özbey neighborhoods of Torbalı.

The traces of the first settlement in the Late Neolithic-Early Chalcolithic period in and around the ancient city can be seen continuously until the Archaic and Classical Ages and Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Principalities and Ottoman periods in the ancient city.

In the ancient city, where many monumental structures have been unearthed, this year’s excavations are being carried out around the Hellenistic Theater and the Roman Bath, which are among the most important structures of the city.

During this year’s excavations, amphorae and water jugs were found in Metropolis for the first time. It was reported that most of the 150 amphorae and water jugs were broken. Work has been started for the repair of these amphorae and jugs. After the repair, the pieces will be delivered to the museum.

“The excavation work in Metropolis is very productive. We are working on the Hellenistic and Roman period settlement of Metropolis. This year, we cleaned the water well of the Roman Bath, which was found in previous excavations. The structure is approximately 12 meters deep and has fine workmanship. It was something that made us very happy. Especially in the last two meters of the well, we found many pieces of amphora and water jugs from the same period,” Aybek said.

Pointing out that water wells are among the important finds in ancient cities, Aybek said, “Similar structures are also found in surrounding cities such as Ephesus, but this is the first time such a mass amphora find has been unearthed in Metropolis. After the restoration is completed, the amphorae will be delivered to the Izmir Archaeology and Ethnography Museum to be exhibited.”