Archaeologists uncover ancient gateway in efforts to preserve Ephesus

Efforts under the “Eternal Ephesus Heritage for the Future” project by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism continue with uninterrupted excavations throughout the year, revealing significant historical treasures.

In the ongoing excavations of Ephesus, one of the largest ancient cities known for its tourism, trade and harbor, archaeologists are focusing on the Koressos Gate.

This gate, one of three major entrances to the city, has never been explored before this season.

Insights from Martin Steskal

Martin Steskal, Director of Excavations at Ephesus, spoke about the significance of this discovery: “Koressos Gate is a crucial archaeological site. It’s the third-largest gate in Ephesus, and we’ve just begun our work here two weeks ago. We plan to continue excavating throughout the summer.”

Steskal also highlighted ongoing restoration efforts at other sites within Ephesus, including the Serapis Temple and Domitian Square, as well as the restoration of wall paintings at the Terrace Houses.

The restoration and preservation efforts are set to extend to the renowned Celsus Library, with maintenance work scheduled to begin in October, marking the first major maintenance in 50 years.

Collaborative efforts

Serdar Aybek, project coordinator and Professor at Dokuz Eylul University’s Department of Archaeology highlighted the collaborative essence of the project: “We aim to uncover and showcase monumental structures in central Ephesus for public access. We are closely collaborating with the excavation team to enhance these endeavors.”

What is importance of Ephesus in excavation research?

Efforts to uncover the mysteries of Ephesus, an ancient city with a history spanning 5,000 years, have been ongoing since the first archaeological exploration initiated by British engineer J.T. Wood in 1869.

Subsequent excavations under the auspices of the British Museum continued from 1904 with D.G. Hogarth at the helm.

Since 1895, the Austrian Archaeological Institute, led initially by Otto Benndorf, has played a significant role in the institutional excavation efforts, with interruptions occurring only during the tumultuous periods of World War I and World War II.

Since 1954, collaborative excavations involving both Austrian archaeologists and experts from the Ephesus Museum have persisted.

Despite over a century of dedicated work, the archaeological endeavors have unearthed only 10% of the vast expanse that encompasses Ephesus, leaving much of its ancient secrets still buried beneath its soil.