The ancient city of Satala, where excavations continue in the Sadak village of Kelkit district of Gümüşhane, hosted foreign academics and archaeologists.
GÜMÜŞHANE (AA) – AK Party Gümüşhane Deputy Celalettin Köse, Kelkit District Governor Kadir Algın, Provincial Assembly President Eşref Balki, Kelkit Mayor Ünal Yılmaz as well as 69 academics and archaeologists from 30 countries examined the excavations in the cemetery located in the north and west of the ancient city.
The head of the excavation, Dr. Lecturer Elif Yavuz Çakmur of the Archaeology Department of the Faculty of Letters of Karadeniz Technical University, who carried out the work with a team of 18 people, gave information to the delegation.
MP Köse told reporters that the visit of 69 academics from 30 countries to the Ancient City of Satala was very important for Gümüşhane.
“As historical ruins come to light, this place will have a tourism potential that is recognized all over the world.”
Pointing out that Satala will be an important tourism destination for Gümüşhane, Köse continued his words as follows:
“I had said that I dream of the days when history and archaeology enthusiasts from various countries will visit the Satala Ancient City, and thank God, today a delegation consisting of the world’s most important archaeologists from 30 countries including Germany, England, Romania and Russia came to visit the Satala Ancient City. They also understood the value of this place. As the historical ruins covered by the soil come to light, this place will have a tourism potential that is accepted all over the world. Because this is a village with an identity that has hosted various civilizations of the world. An ancient city with a historical identity. Our Our only goal from now on is to build a museum here.“
“2,800-year-old Urartian belt removed from here”
Köse expressed his pleasure for the visit of the academicians, who are world-renowned professors who are experts in their departments, and said, “When they go to their countries, they will talk about Satala. The Urartian belt, which is said to be approximately 2,800 years old, was unearthed from here. It is exhibited in the Gümüşhane City Museum. The 1,500-year-old Roman legion armor, which was also unearthed from here and was the subject of news with the statements of our Minister of Culture and Tourism about 2 months ago, is exhibited in Erzurum. We will bring it to Gümüşhane very soon and make it ready for display.”
“We opened 16 graves in the necropolis works in a period of approximately 2 months”
Excavation Director Elif Yavuz Çakmur stated that this year’s excavations in the Satala Ancient City continue in the form of expansion work. Stating that Satala has been included in the scope of the Heritage to the Future Project of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Çakmur noted the following:
“The largest part of the ongoing excavations within the scope of the project is the necropolis (the name given to the area where cemeteries and mass graves are located in archaeological cities) studies. We opened 16 graves in the necropolis studies in a period of approximately 2 months. Among them, we came across a woman’s grave that we found interesting. We will have more detailed information about the woman with the upcoming data. We probably described this woman’s grave as a late-era grave. We will interpret it more accurately with the upcoming data.”
“It is an honor to be chosen as the tour stop of Europe’s most important congress.”
Çakmur, drawing attention to the fact that the Roman Border Studies Congress held in Georgia is one of the most important congresses in Europe, said, “This congress was held in Batumi this year. The visiting archaeologists of the congress chose Satala as the last stop on their tour route. It is a very big step for us. It is also very honorable for us that it is held every three years and one leg of it is Satala.”
Dr. Andreas Thiel: The important question for scientists is, why didn’t a large city form here?
Dr. Andreas Thiel, Head of the Department for Monument Protection in the Government District of Stuttgart, stated that as Roman archaeology experts, they know where the legions are and said:
“We all knew this place but we hadn’t had the chance to come before. I had pictured it differently. Normally, the Roman legion would lead the establishment of a large city. It’s a great opportunity for archaeologists. Because it’s not inhabited and therefore excavations can be conducted. The important question for scientists is, why hasn’t a large city formed here? I hope our colleagues’ work will answer this question. I’m sure there are still more artifacts to be found.”
The delegation later visited the Gümüşhane City Museum.