The Odeon in the Ancient City of Sagalassos is being unearthed

Turkey's third-largest Odeon (a structure specifically designed for listening to music) is being unearthed at the ancient city of Sagalassos . According to a statement from Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ), archaeology faculty members have been excavating Sagalassos for two years and are unearthing artifacts.

The Odeon, which was unearthed during excavations carried out around the 1892-year-old fountain dedicated to Roman Emperor Hadrian in the city, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List , will be one of the three largest odeons in Turkey when completed.

Deputy Head of Excavations and Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Archaeology Department Faculty Member Dr. Düzgün Tarkan stated that each structure in ancient cities has its own value.

'A MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING'

Tarkan, noting that the odeon is located approximately 4 meters underground, said, "The odeon in Sagalassos is a multi-purpose structure that hosted council meetings as well as musical performances. When it is uncovered, along with the fountain and the square paved with small stone blocks, one of the city's most vibrant spots will be brought to light."

Tarkan emphasized that some of the rows of seats were dismantled during the Byzantine period, but restoration can be done quickly thanks to existing examples.

Tarkan, who stated that the rich heritage of Sagalassos will be passed on to both the scientific world and future generations through excavation and restoration work carried out in the city, pointed out that there was a large theater in the city with a capacity of 9,000-10,000 people, and based on this data, they estimated the population of Sagalassos in ancient times to be around 35,000-40,000.

Underlining that Sagalassos, one of the leading cities of the Pisidia Region, was the center of the emperor cult in the 2nd century, Tarkan also noted that a small statue had recently been unearthed during excavations and that the artifact would be shared by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.