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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Harpasa |
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Type:
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City |
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Altitude:
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m |
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Region:
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Aegean |
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Province:
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Aydin |
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District:
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Nazilli |
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Village:
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Esenköy |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Archaic Roman Hellenistic |
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| Location: It is located on a very steep slope in the modern Esenköy Village (former name Arpaz) to the south of the Nazilli District of the Aydin Province. It lies to the south of the Meander River; at the beginning of the Akcay (Harpasus) Valley [Varinlioglu 1996:124; Varinlioglu 1997b:297-298]. |
| Geography and Environment: It is believed that the tumuli on the hills extending from Harpasa to the north were built under the Lydian influence [Varinlioglu 1996:124]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was excavated by Varinlioglu in 1994 and 1995. |
| Stratigraphy: |
| Small Finds: |
| Remains: It is obvious that it was built according to the Greek model [Varinlioglu 1997:300]. Initially arising on terraces; the city then spreaded around a wide area in the plain [Varinlioglu 1996:124-125]. The Attica potsherds uncovered during the excavations indicate previous relationship with the continental Greece. The settlement was also occupied during the Byzantine and Ottoman Periods [Varinlioglu 1997b:300]. There exists a temple from the Archaic Period in the acropolis; also used during the Byzantine Period [Varinlioglu 1997b:297]. Agora: The excavation carried out in an area; which was considered to be the agora; yielded three chambers built by embossed stones from the Hellenistic Period. These chambers were believed to have functioned as a prevention for erosion resulting from the inclination in the land. During the Roman Period; these chambers were filled up to build a vaulted underground gallery; and a spectacular building with a rectangular plan was built over it. Its wall supported by approximately 20 abutment wall in the north-south direction is 40 m long. It should be an agora or forum as the northern section of the building is in the city center and it is close to the theater [Varinlioglu 1997b:299]. theater: The diazoma separating the row of seats into two is seated on a rock. The analemmata restraining the rows of seats was not found. The upper rows have no curve while the lower ones are curved. When the arrangement in two different systems and the terrace above the theater are taken into consideration; it is believed that the theater has several construction stages. Based on this; it is likely that an audience space (theatron) before the construction of the gymnasium was adapted to a theater. Although it has been reported that more specific answers could have been obtained by an excavation; the potential collapse of rocks prevents any such activities. In the middle of the orchestra lies a water depot of the modern village. Thus; it is unclear where the seating rows have an exact end [Varinlioglu 1997b:298-299]. Gymnasium: It is located above the theater. The survey revealed that there is a big row of columns over a terrace from the Hellenistic Period; and the terrace was rearranged during the construction of the theater [Varinlioglu 1997b:298]. Necropolis/Tomb: It lies on the opposite ridges of the valley to the south of the city [Varinlioglu 1997b:297]. |
| Interpretation and Dating: |
