Ottoman bath discovered in ancient Roman theater

ANKARA

As the restoration and excavation efforts continue at the Ancient Roman Theater and Archaeopark project in Ankara's Ulus district, archaeologists have uncovered an Ottoman bath and tannery.

The bath, featuring characteristics of early Ottoman architecture, will be integrated into the city’s cultural life as part of the project.

Excavations at the Ancient Roman Theater and Archaeopark area, initiated by the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality's Department of Cultural and Natural Heritage, began in 2022. This year’s excavations have been ongoing since June 28 with 13 workers and two archaeologists.

Under the direction of the Anatolian Civilizations Museum and the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the excavation team discovered a bathhouse from the early Ottoman period and a tannery located in front of it. The structure, featuring symmetrically arranged cold, warm and hot rooms and a cistern that supplies water to the bath, will be restored and incorporated into Ankara’s cultural life as part of a project scheduled for completion by 2026.

Umut Alagöz, the deputy director of the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, stated that all sections of the Ottoman bath were uncovered this year. “This area was a significant center throughout the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods, and was home to important public structures. The liveliness of this area continued in the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. We see that leatherworking, a key industry during the Ottoman era, flourished along the banks of the Hatip Stream. Archaeological evidence shows that this bathhouse was used by leather merchants,” Alagöz said.

He also highlighted the architectural similarities of the bath to Roman structures, saying, “We partially uncovered the bath in 2022, we now see its complete plan. The placement of symmetrically planned rooms, which is an essential part of bath architecture that continued from Roman to Byzantine and from Byzantine to Seljuk and Ottoman, is also seen in this bath structure. The cold, warm and hot rooms, as well as the cistern, are symmetrically placed. This significant Ottoman bath will contribute to Ankara's cultural life. We believe it was used until the 18th or 19th centuries, and along with the Roman Theater, the planned Archaeopark project will offer a major visual and cultural attraction for visitors.”