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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Hydas |
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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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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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Mugla |
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District:
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Marmaris |
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Village:
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Turgut |
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Investigation Method:
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Survey |
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Period:
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Classical Hellenistic Archaic |
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| Location: It can be reached through a narrow pathway from the Turgut Village to the southwest of the Marmaris District of the Mugla Province [Benter 2000:308]. |
| Geography and Environment: The city and the fortress are situated on a rocky ridge at the narrowest point of a mountain chain; which is approximately 6 km long [Benter 2000:308]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: A survey was conducted by Benter in 1998 and 2000. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: |
| Small Finds: |
| Remains: The settlement scattered around an area of 350x200 meters on the slope to the west of the acropolis; which is 270 m high from the sea level; is approximately 200 m high from the sea level; covering an area of 3.5 hectares together with the acropolis [Benter 2000:308]. It had been intensely inhabited during the Classical and Hellenistic Periods. The city has four separate areas including Upper Fortress; Lower Fortress; settlements of the southern ridge and of the western slope. The connection wall between the two building complexes flanking the entrance of the Lower Fortress is reported to have been from the fourth construction phase [Benter 2000:309-310]. Based on the potsherds and finds uncovered; it seems that the ancient city of Hydas had been inhabited from the 12th century to the Late Antique Period [Benter 2002:179; Benter 2000:308]. Upper Fortress: A 16 m long house with an apsis plan extends in the northwest-southeast direction [Benter 2000:310]. The excavations carried out in the southwestern part of the Lower Fortress revealed a 8 m wide city wall. The remains found at the same place probably belong to a building. It was found that the latest of the three construction phases was from the Late Antique or Byzantine Period. Some material dating to the period between the Late Mycenaean Period and the Byzantine Period was uncovered here while a polished hematite axe was unearthed on the slope; dated from the Late Neolithic Period to the Middle Hellenistic Period [Benter 2002:179]. Lower Fortress: It is unclear if the wall remains found on the northern section [Benter 2000:310] belong to an oval building or a temenos. To the north lies a cistern. Some potsherds from the Archaic; Classical; Hellenistic and Late Antique Periods were uncovered here [Benter 2002:178]. Harbor: It lies to the south of the city on the shore with some steep rock walls. It is believed that the cyclopic stones of the building with a square planned structure between two rectangular planned structures comprise the lower part of a tower. Some walls strecth under the water. Amphoras were found during the underwater investigations [Benter 2000:309]. City Wall: The western settlement is enclosed by a cyclopic defense wall [Benter 2000:308]. The walls are 1.6-1.8 m thick. Different size of stones were used [Benter 2000:310]. The main gate is 5 m wide and 2.5 m high. One part was fortified; enclosed by bastion. It is pierced by another gate to the northwest; which is smaller and well-preserved. It probably served as a secret entrance [Benter 2000:310]. Cistern: Two cisterns on the acropolis; one on the southern ridge; and two others in the settlement were found. They have a capacity around 150-250 cubicmeters. There are some other cisterns inside the city [Benter 2000:310]. Temple/Sanctuary: Many animal figurines and fragments of a human figurine were uncovered in a small plateau to the northwest of the city. It is believed that there stood a sanctuary in this field [Benter 2000:309]. Necropolis/Graves: It consists of a mausoleum; raising on a rocky elevation approximately 35 m high from the valley base; a cubical burial ground and a pyramid-like vertical roof. The burial chamber consists of polygonal stones with a coarse masonry. An inscription uncovered at the entrance of the tomb and dated to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC revealed that it was built for a warrior called Diagoras. On the western and southern slopes of the city walls lie underground burial chambers; which are most probably family graves. Some were carved into the rock while some were erected by walls of raw stones. Their architectural features are contemporary with the Cyclopian construction phase of the settlement [Benter 2000:309]. One of them yielded small number of potsherds; burnt bone fragments; fragments of a crescent-shaped fibula; six pieces of an iron weapon and fragments of bronze plates as well as a short sword; fragments of two spearheads and an arrowhead. The sword is compared with the ones in the graves from the Subminos-Geometric Period in Crete while the dagger is compared with the samples unearthed from the Late Geometric Period or Orientalizing Period graves in Thessalia. The crescent-shaped fibula resembles the samples in Ialysos and Crete. The grave was dated back to the Geometric-Late Geometric Period as it is likely that there is more than one burial in this grave [Benter 2000:310-311]. One tomb was found in a cave below the acropolis; which was obviously damaged due to illicit digging; and a dead in the supine position was unearthed. The tomb was topped by three terracotta plates. In this respect; it is compared with the 6th century graves of Kameiros and Ialysos. The analysis on potsherds indicate the Late Mycenaean III C -Proto Geometric Periods. Two arch-shaped fibulas are dated to the 9th-7th centuries BC As indicated by the fragments of bones; there are nine burials in the grave; one belonging to a child; and another to a woman [Benter 2002:177-178]. Miscellaneous: The pile of earth uncovered as a result of illicit diggings in a church from the Byzantian Period yielded potsherds from the Archaic; Classical and Hellenistic Periods as well as five fragments of terrracotta kore and kouros statutes [Benter 2002:179]. |
| Interpretation and Dating: |
