Underwater work to begin at Soli Pompeiopolis

MERSİN - Doğan News Agency

DHA Photos

With a historical heritage dating back to the ancient age, the Soli Pompeiopolis site in the southern province of Mersin will soon be explored from under the Mediterranean, in addition to ongoing excavation work on land. 

Located in the Mezitli district, the 3,000-year-old ancient site’s excavation work has been carried out above ground since 1999. However, upon the instruction of Mezitli Mayor Neşet Tarhan, a Selçuk University Underwater Archaeology research vessel will be working in cooperation with UNESCO to integrate the Soli Pompeiopolis site to its field work next summer, in an attempt to extract more artifacts.


The site has been acknowledged as one of the key ports of the Roman era, dating back to the second century B.C., with its 200 pillars between two entrances towards the north and south. 

Professor Remzi Yağcı, the head of the excavation, said the site had been submerged under the waters of the Mediterranean after an earthquake in 525 A.D. According to Yağçı, Soli had hosted many lagans since its construction.

Researchers presume the Soli port was founded by Rhodes pirates who crossed into Anatolia through Cyprus in 700 B.C. Soli was later seized by the Roman Empire in 78 B.C., and was named Soli Pompeiopolis after the Commander Pompei.