Ancient Thermal City To Be Flooded In Turkey

SE European Times ^ | 6-23-2005

[blam]

Ancient Thermal City to Be Flooded in Turkey

23/06/2005

The 1,800-year-old city of Allianoi will be flooded in November by the Yortanli Dam. [File]

Archeologists, environmentalists and international NGOs are joining together to try to find a way to save an 1,800-year-old archeological site, due to be flooded this November by the waters from a new dam. By Allan Cove for Southeast European Times – 23/06/05

The world's oldest known ancient thermal city, Allianoi, stands to be flooded when the Yortanli Dam begins operation this November. Located in the very centre of the planned dam lake, it will be submerged under some 17 metres of water. If no solution is found, Turkey may lose a significant historical site.

To help save the 1,800-year-old city, environmentalists and other volunteers have formed the Allianoi Initiative Group, with the slogan "Don't Let Allianoi Be Flooded".

"A 2,000-year history is being sacrificed for a 50 to 60-year-old project. We don't say that the dam should not be constructed, but the project should be modified in a way that will prevent Allianoi from being ruined," says the group's spokesman, Arif Ali Cangi.

It has received support from the EU, which recently decided to financially support preservation efforts at Allianoi under its "Culture 2000" programme. The Pan-European Federation for Heritage -- a non-profit umbrella organisation consisting of more than 200 NGOs -- joined with the European Council and UNESCO in writing a letter to Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, seeking help in rescuing Allianoi and its Roman baths.

Since the Turkish government, however, has stated its firm intention to open the dam on schedule, archaeologists have launched a massive effort to salvage artefacts discovered at the site before it is submerged. Since 1994, numerous parts of sculptures, ceramic pieces, metallic findings and glass artifacts have been recovered, spanning the Roman to Byzantine periods. The State Water Affairs (DSI) agency has put forth a plan for the site, proposing that it the ancient buildings be coated with clay so that they won't be damaged under water. Archeologists say this would simply inflict further damage. Another approach under consideration is to move the thermal spring buildings to another location.

Villagers in the area, many of whom earn their living from agriculture, have mixed feelings. The dam will provide water needed for irrigation. But the flooding of Allianoi will also destroy a part of Turkey's cultural heritage, and the potential to attract tourists.

Throughout history, Allianoi was known as the "native land of the health god Asklepion". Established in the Hellenistic Age, it achieved prominence in the 2nd century under the rule of the Roman Emperor Hadrianus. For over 15 centuries, it enjoyed the reputation of an excellent healing centre, with spring waters in the therapeutic 45 to 55 centigrade range.

Recent excavations have revealed two ornate gates, streets with amazingly clean marble stones, shops, houses with perfectly protected mosaics, large squares, public fountains and insulas -- places to rest after a bath. The latest findings were some of the most perfectly protected ever seen in an archaeological site, because they were covered by alluvial soil.

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[kharaku]

I'd suggest the good citizens buy scuba gear then.

[Wonder Warthog]

Pah-don my ignorance, but what the heck is a "thermal city"??

Never heard that term used in archaelogy before.

[TXnMA]

Sounds like the U.S. is not the only country with eminent domain problems.

[federal]

Evidently the city was built around some thermal hot springs.

[blam]

"Pah-don my ignorance, but what the heck is a "thermal city"??"

Look here:

Thermas World

[Paleo Conservative]

This project will cool it off.

[groovychick]

So truly spoken!!

[Politicalities]

I'd suggest the good citizens buy scuba gear then.

Uh...

Yeah.

I'm happy to report that the Turkish government is providing scuba gear, plus $1,000,000 in diamonds, to every single resident of the city of Allianoi. Would that the Italian government were as generous to its Pompeiian citizens.

[kharaku]

It sounds like few folks reside IN the site to be flooded only near enough to get tourist revenue off it. The smart business move is to adapt and to start sell scuba tours, not to pray the government abandons the DAM.

[devane617]

Call it Atlantis and sell T-Shirts.

[patriot_wes]

"To help save the 1,800-year-old city, environmentalists and other volunteers have formed the Allianoi Initiative Group, with the slogan "Don't Let Allianoi Be Flooded".

let's see folks we need to come with a really flashy slogan,....oh, oh, I know...

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam. Gettin' busy, are we? ;')

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[norton]

"Another approach under consideration is to move the thermal spring buildings to another location."

Lake Havasu?

[SunkenCiv]

from May 30 2000:

Dam Destroying Ancient Mosaics
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/30/tech/main200856.shtml

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Nothing new. Several Egyptian ancient sites were submerged with the flooding of Lake Nassar.

[blam]

"let's see folks we need to come with a really flashy slogan,....oh, oh, I know..."

They don't have a rhyming Jesse like we do, lol.

[SunkenCiv]

some very nice shots here.

North Thermal Baths
http://www.allianoi.org/main/ENG/2.asp

[eleni121]

Another unfortunate and eternal destruction of the past.

Muslims do this a lot.


http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2005/06/23/feature-03