Meat and fish market unearthed in ancient city of Aigai

MANİSA – Demirören News Agency

An ancient meat and fish market called “Macellum” by the Romans has been unearthed in the 2,200-year-old ancient city of Aigai in the western province of Manisa’s Yunusemre district. 

Excavation works, carried out by Manisa Celal Bayar University’s archaeology department, have recently ended in the ancient city. 

The head of the excavations, Yusuf Sezgin, and his team unearthed the 1,900-year-old meat and fish market with new, detailed information in this year’s works. The small square-like structure is on a terrace adjacent to the ground floor of an agora building, which is known as the city center.

“In the first years when we started excavations, this place was covered. Very few parts of it were visible. We had no idea what it was. But after the excavations we realized that this is a Macellum, the meat-fish market. It was like the butcher of modern day. But in antiquity, butchers and fishermen were together. The stones on the floor are placed in lime mortar. So the water is accumulated there. There are two channels that allow the fresh water to enter and the dirty water out. There must have been fish in this water. This place is 13 kilometers from the sea. On the other hand, Aigai means goat. So, we believe that goat meat was sold here, too,” he added.