Excavations have begun at a dig site in western Turkey to unearth vast Byzantine-era fortifications thought to be nearly 900 years old, archeologists working on the project said on Friday.
Located in what is now the small picturesque town of Birgi, the dig aims to uncover massive walls and fortresses that archeologist Veli Sevin said once stood 8 to 9 meters (about 26-30 feet) high.
“The walls of the Byzantine fortress will be uncovered in the excavations. There used to be a tremendous fortress here that covered an expanse of 6 hectares (14.8 acres),” Sevin told Anadolu Agency. “The walls still stand, at least partially. We want to unearth these walls to present them to humanity.”
The name of the town Birgi was derived from its ancient name, Pyrgion, meaning fortress in Greek, added Sevin, who is serving as a scientific consultant to the excavations. The historical town of Birgi, located in the Odemis district of Izmir province, is on the UNESCO’s Tentative List.
Some of the findings…