Domestic Area: Aims 2006

Since 1995 archaeological excavations have been conducted in the Domestic Area, situated east of an as of yet unexplored street that connected the central and upper parts of the town. During the previous 10 campaigns (1995-96, 1998-2005) a large dwelling, which especially during late Roman times assumed substantial dimensions, was identified. So far, 49 rooms distributed over three successive or terraced levels have been documented. During the sixth century A.D. this palatial mansion was divided into smaller units. At least part of the complex remained occupied in the later sixth and seventh centuries A.D., as was confirmed by the pottery of Phase 9 (A.D. 550/75-640). Research is ongoing to determine whether the end of the occupation coincided with the earthquake that destroyed Sagalassos completely around the middle of the seventh century A.D., or shortly afterwards.

The aims for the 2006 season are as follows:

1. The extension of the excavation in the northwestern part of the house, in order to complete the excavation of several partly excavated rooms and to locate the mansion's entrance. We will also pay attention to the series of rooms north of the private bathing unit, both to already identified rooms and to still unidentified, more westwardly located rooms.


2. The completion of the excavation of various rooms and spaces, including the eastern half of Room XVI, which was partially excavated in 2000. We will carry out restricted excavations at several locations in the house based on the results of the ongoing architectural and ceramological analyses. Underneath the mosaic, which was removed in 2004 for conservation purposes, in Room XVII, a small trench is proposed in order to document the structural features of the mosaic construction, and most of all to provide further chronological criteria for the mosaic's construction date, possibly along with previous phases of flooring.


3. The extension of the excavation in the southern and lower section of the house. In part of this section, a utilitarian area was identified along with a substantial dining room and a second large room. Detailed study of the stratigraphy of this area and its architectural remains should reveal the relationship between the possibly different original housing units, and their potential merging. Further excavation should reveal the nature of the floor level in the large rooms and determine the amount of erosion damage.


4. Document possible older building phases of the large-scale urban villa. For this purpose a few more minor trenches will have to be excavated.


5. Document the collapse and abandonment processes of the early Byzantine villa.