Excavations uncover Viking traces at Bathonea in Istanbul

Exciting developments are underway with the resumption of excavations at the Bathonea ancient city, thrilling history enthusiasts.

Located in the Kucukcekmece Lake basin in Avcilar, the ancient city’s excavations, which restarted this year with the approval of the presidential decree and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, are shedding light on prehistoric periods.

During the excavations, professor Sengul Aydingun stated, “In our excavations at the customs building, we estimate that this structure was destroyed around 680 A.D., likely due to Umayyad invasions. We believe these findings represent the earliest evidence of the Umayyads’ attempts to besiege Istanbul.”

Additionally, traces of the Vikings have also been discovered. During a visit to the ancient city by Maciej Lang, ambassador of Poland to Türkiye, significant Viking-era artifacts, including an amber cross and Ourobos necklace, were found.

Support from Poland continues

The ancient city significantly contributes to revealing historical and cultural heritage through the work of international archaeologists.

Lang emphasized that cooperation with Polish archaeologists plays a crucial role in the relations between Poland and Türkiye, stating, “It is a great pleasure for me to support this project alongside Polish archaeologists. It gives me immense satisfaction to seize the chance to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming an archaeologist.”

Future excavations are expected to continue, aiming to uncover the deep history of the Bathonea Ancient City. Especially with findings from the eighth to 11th centuries, there is a goal to explore the ancient city more extensively over the next 200 years.