Cosmetic products popular in ancient times

BALIKESİR – Anadolu Agency

DHA Photo

Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Antandros in the northwestern province of Balıkesir, where work has been continuing for 16 years, have revealed a number of ancient shops which sold cosmetics, indicating that women have been interested in such products for millennia. 

The adjacent shops were unearthed as the works neared an end in the ancient city. 

The deputy head of the Antandros excavations, archaeologist Rabia Aktaş, said that works at the site were headed by Ege University academic Prof. Gürcan Polat. “A team of 50 persons [working at the site was] reduced to 10 because students left the ancient city as the new academic year started,” she said. 

Aktaş said they had come from the western city of İzmir in July with a 25-person team, and continued: 

“This year’s works focused on finding the entrance of a Roman villa and finding the dimensions of the house. We found eight shops in the southern part of the city. Two of these shops were excavated. We found bowls in good condition in these shops. It is understood that the shops were mostly used for the sale of cosmetics and ceramic products. They were not public shops but owned by [private] individuals. This year’s works are still continuing but students [who had been working at the site] have returned to their schools. We will continue with a team 10 people to unearth the shops and to find a side street that these shops open [on to]. Most probably we will be here until November.” 

Ancient women were interested such things 

Association for the Protection of Historical Antandros President Gülçin Cömert said that the expropriation works for the ancient city should be accelerated, and continued: 

“We have obtained various finds through excavations. This year it made us pleased that we found the traces of shops right below the Roman villa, which covers an area of some 1,200 square meters. These shops sold food, cosmetics and ceramic products. So women were interested in such things in ancient times. We are very excited about the next finds.” 

Cömert also noted that the excavation could not be extended because of an expropriation problem. 

The ancient finds in Antandros, which is located in the western slopes of Kaletaşı Hill, famous for its mosaics, date back to the 7th and 8th centuries B.C. During excavations at the site a Roman-era villa, a sewage system and a number of tombs have been unearthed. The city is known to have been seized during the Trojan war.