Excavation season starts at ancient Xanthos

Excavation work has started for the summer season at one of the six largest cities of the Lycian Union, the ancient city of Xanthos, located in the southern province of Antalya's Ka? district. 

The ancient site has entered the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List along with 15 other historical artifacts.

The Akdeniz University Faculty of Arts Archaeology Department has been conducting excavations at the site since 2011.

The team, led by Professor Burhan Vark?vanç, consists of eight academics, five archaeologists, 15 students and 10 workers, while the crew plans to pursue their work for the next two-and-a-half months.

This year's excavation will be conducted in three different zones, including the West Agora, an edifice believed to be an assembly building, and the southeastern sector of the site, said the head of excavation works.

According to Vark?vanç, this year's work will look to solve shortcomings from previous years and will especially focus on various Byzantine elements of the ancient site.