Ancient house ruins found in Hierapolis

During excavations carried out this year in the ancient city of Hierapolis in Pamukkale, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the remains of two houses, which are said to date back to the founding years of the city, have been unearthed.

The excavations that started in 1957 in the ancient city of Hierapolis, which was founded by the Pergamon King Eumenes II in the 2nd century B.C., continue under the direction of Professor Grazia Semeraro from Salento University.

A team of 30 archaeologists, restorers and architects from the universities of Salento, Messina, Florence, Pamukkale and Amasya participate in the work in the field.

This year, excavations and restorations continue at many points such as the Apollo Sanctuary, the Monumental Fountain, the houses near the theater and the mass grave area.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Semeraro said they are carrying out extensive maintenance work in the main monuments in the ancient theater and St. Philippus Sanctuary, which are heavily visited by tourists.

Stating that the ancient people did not abandon the ancient city of Hierapolis and the Lykos Valley despite the earthquakes, Semeraro said that they continued to build new earthquake-resistant monuments in the region.

Stating that they understood from a round millstone that the city was a rural settlement and olive oil production center during the Middle Ages, Semeraro said that people continued to produce olive oil in Hierapolis at that time and that the city was an important agricultural center.

Noting that they discovered important finds in the excavation area in the northern part of the city, near the great agora and the second theater of Hierapolis, Semeraro said: "The finds belong to the Hellenistic...