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July 2003-July 2010InteractiveDig Sagalassos
[image]
The more fertile zone of the Kirac Deresi surveyed during the middle of the week

Photos courtesy Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project. Click on images to enlarge.
by Marc Waelkens

Suburban Survey: August 15-19, 2004

This week, the survey team explored the valley that runs parallel and east to the Gökpinar area. Finds were scarce in this zone because of the rather high level of colluvial deposition and the fact that no cultivation (and thus no plowing, which churns up artifacts) takes place in this area. At one time this must have been different, as numerous abandoned terrace walls attest. Several soil samples were taken for analysis on pollution levels back in Leuven. In view of the quick pace of surveying in this area (sloping terrain, low visibility, and few finds), we continued exploring farther south, in the area of the Kirac Deresi. The northern reaches of this area resemble the valley east of the Gökpinar area. Farther south, however, we came across well-tended and, in part, freshly plowed fields, mainly used for the cultivation of cereals. There are on small plateau just east of the asphalt road leading to Sagalassos. Finds (tile and brick, pottery, glass, etc.) were more numerous here. A clear concentration of tile, brick, window-glass (and pottery) was noticeable in the southeastern part of the area. An interpretation of these elements remains elusive, but they clearly suggest some construction in the vicinity. Drainage and road works in this zone have completely destroyed whatever in situ structural elements may have been present. On Wednesday afternoon and Thursday, the survey team studied and quantified the pottery collected during the past two weeks. Further analysis, especially on functional categories and erosion patterns (such as caused by manuring) may shed more light on the nature of this area in antiquity.

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