Marc Waelkens

Jeroen Poblome

The ancient town of Sagalassos is situated in south-western Asia Minor (Turkey), in the region of Pisidia, and more specifically in the western Taurus mountain range. Due to its altitude, the site is one of the better preserved towns from classical antiquity.

Sagalassos Four

Sagalassos, once the metropolis of the Western Taurus range (Pisidia, Turkey), was only thoroughly surveyed in 1884 and 1885 by an Austrian team directed by K. Lanckoronski. In 1986-1989 this work was resumed by a British-Belgian team co-directed by Dr. Stephen Mitchell (University College of Swansea) and by Prof. Dr. Marc Waelkens (Catholic University of Leuven). In 1990 Sagalassos became a full scale Belgian project and a leading center for interdisciplinary archaeological and archaeometrical research. Due to its altitude, the site is one of the best preserved towns from classical antiquity, with a rich architectural and sculptural tradition dating from the second century BC to the sixth century AD. From early Imperial times until the early Byzantine period a complete range of coarse and red slip wares was produced locally. Excavations are concentrated on the upper and lower agoras to document the political and commercial life in the town and also in the area where a late Hellenistic fountain house, which still functions to date, and a Roman library were discovered. Major efforts are undertaken to restore the excavated monuments in their old glory. Several disciplines integrate the town again within its ancient environment and document the central role which Sagalassos played in the area.

First General Report on the Survey (1986-1989) and Excavations (1990-1991)

Sagalassos I

Norman Herz

Luc Moens

The meeting assembled an interdisciplinary group of nearly 50 archaeologists and art historians, geologists and geochemists from the U.S.A. and 14 European and Near Eastern countries to discuss the provenance, quarrying, transport and use of stone from prehistoric to early Christian times, both in Europe and in the Near East. The papers which reflect a merger between classicism and geotechnology, thus deal with (1) quarries from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine period, their technology and organization, (2) quarry prospection through satellite imaging, (3) dressing of artifacts near the quarries, (4) trade, availability and archaeological use of certain stones in antiquity, (5) determination of obsidian, flint, granite, marble, limestones, sandstones and arkoses from Europe, Asia Minor and the Near East by means of petrological and chemical analysis, trace element analysis, electron microprobe and stable isotope analysis, ESR spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray powder diffradtometry, mercury porosimetry, cathodoluminiscence, light diffustion from laser-irradiated stones, computer assisted assessment of coloured stones or amulti-method appraoch, and (6) provenance determination applied to ancient artifacts.The volume is highly recommended for those who wish to combine a journey into classical scholarship with geochemical sciences.

Quarrying, Trade and Provenance : Interdisciplinary Studies on Stones and Stone Technology in Europe and Near East from the Prehistoric to the Early Christian Period

Ancient Stones

Report on the Fourth Excavation Campaign of 1993

Sagalassos III

Hannelore Vanhaverbeke

Several years of regional low-intensive archaeological survey and interdisciplinary research on the ancient territory of Sagalassos, an area of approximately 1800 km in southwestern Turkey (Pisidia), have resulted in a large amount of data pertaining to varied scientific domains. Apart from archaeology and epigraphy, these include geology, geomorphology, climate studies, (palaeo-)botany, archaeozoology, research into ancient agricultural practises and soil studies. Following a thorough discussion of the limitations inherent to the survey strategy employed, the authors and their scientific collaborators give an overview of the main results of the interdisciplinary research and a presentation of the archaeological and epigraphical evidence. The book then continues to sketch the characteristics of the settlement pattern on the city's territory over the past 12.000 years. In an attempt to define and explain its changing appearance, information on political and socio-economic conditions is played out against an ever changing environmental background. A recurring theme throughout the book is the caution with which survey evidence must be interpreted. Both the attention paid to a wide array of evidence, as well as the broad regional and chronological scope of this volume makes it a pioneer in its kind for Asia Minor.

Marc Waelkens

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