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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Viransehir / Soli (Soloi) Pompeiopolis |
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For site maps and drawings please click on the picture...  |
For photographs please click on the photo...  |
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Type:
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Mound |
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Altitude:
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160 m |
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Region:
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Mediterranean |
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Province:
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Mersin |
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District:
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Mezitli |
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Village:
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Viransehir |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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EBA III |
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| Location: It is located in the ancient city of Soloi (Soli) Pompeiopolis; Viransehir at present; on the Mediterranean coast; 11 km southwest of the Mersin Province. |
| Geography and Environment: It was named after the ancient city it was located. Soloi/Soli means sun. The mound measures 7 m in height and 30 m in diameter. The latest publication of the excavations started again in the ancient city of Soli/Pompeiopolis refers to the dimensions as 22 m in height and 300 m in diameter. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: A big pithos including a hoard was recovered under a big stone moved due to a strong rain in 1889. F. von Luschan; who went to the findspot together with the shepherd who found the hoard; carried out a sounding here. F. von Luschan reported that the stone was related with the level of the Roman Period and it has no relation with the pithos. The finds inside the pithos were taken to the Berlin Archaeological Museum. It was also investigated by V. Seton-Williams and J. Mellaart. The mound and its vicinity yielded; aside metallic ware dated from the EBA [Mellaart 1963:map at fig.6]; sherds dating from the Iron Age; the Hellenistic; Roman-Byzantine Periods [Seton-Williams 1954:168]. The hoard was introduced in detail by K. Bittel [Bittel 1940:183-201]. The excavation of the ancient city has been started in the recent years. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: As the exact findspot of the pithos is unknown; it is very difficult to identify the stratification. |
| Small Finds: Metal: The hoard consisted of a total of 77 objects such as 31 daggers; 3 dagger butts; 3 spearheads with leaf-style blades; 3 spit-like spearheads; 2 sword blades; 2 crecentric axes; 25 flat axes; 2 cymbals; 1 horn; 3 wires; 1 unidentified object; 2 stamp seals. There are daggers with triangular blades; bent and long quadrangular tangs [Bittel 1940:pl.II-III]. Three samples of butts indicate what kind of butts the daggers have [Bittel 1940:fig.3]. Among the spearheads; the ones with two-compartment tangs are interesting. Their blade is shaped like a leaf. Two finds contributed to the dating of the hoard are the crescentric axes; one broken. The cymbals have binding holes on handles. There are no specific samples of flat axes. The horn-like object was produced for insertion purposes. One of the stamp seals bear geometrical decoration while the other has signs looking like a hieroglyph. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: K. Bittel dated the hoard to the end of the second millennium BC depending on the last find mentioned hereinabove [Bittel 1940:201]. However; except this find; all the other tools and weapons carry the characteristics of the last quarter of the third millennium BC. The analysis on some of the hoard items was performed by Rathgen and Weeren. As a result of the analysis; some are reported to be produce of tinned bronze. As Viransehir has a small port; it can be suggested that those finds came here through sea trade and they were hidden in a pithos for some reason. |
