The Last Full Day in Phrygia

It was our last day, yesterday, to have a full shot at sites. We spent the time trying to find some out of the he way places-- taking the little Renault where no Renault has gone before. More tombs that became Byzantine houses. I know you'd be excited to see the pics but I will spare you. Also, we looked for a number of the more ancient Phrygian monuments and tombs, several decorated with huge lions ca. 600 BCE. In one case it took the help of a cowherd to accompany us to find a site. 

Today we hit two sites on the he long trip back to Izmi. We are two nights at Levent's beach house, then I leave for the airport at 4 am on Thursday. I will arrive home 11 pm or so that night if all goes well. About 23 hours of travel, I think....this may be the last blog post as a day at the beach is well known to most.....

Thanks for making this journey with me!

Doggonit!

Am a bit sore and beat up after a dog attack today. I ended up somersaulting a few times down a hill as it attacked, then coming  and having a shouting match with it, which it won, and then continuing my downhill flight. 

The shepherd came over, having seen it all from a hill. The dog was hiding in a Byzantine tomb and I was trying to get in. Sheepherd went and tracked down my camera that had flown off as I hit the ground and rolled. Finally found it, and we then shared his crackers and my few Turkish words as we waited for Mark to come back from retrieving something at the car so I could warn him off those tombs!! I have a few great strawberries on my butt, arms, and underarm. A sore hip and twisted foot. Other than that, I have a great story and no dog bites, but a wounded ego for being bested-- again, third time this trip, by man's supposedly best friend. The shepherd had a great story to tell his friends over tea and a laugh. 

1. Photo of there tomb as I unpreparedly approached

2. Camera's wild photo as it flew from my hand and I flew down the hill

3. Shepherd with funny story. 

I won't bore you with more tombs or such. One Phrygian monument from 540-300 BCE,

one cave with rope we chose not to climb

A few houses in the countryside villages, a Muslim holy man's tomb with reused Roman stones (even from a church), storks nesting, (Ok, 1 tomb), and a little wildlife.....just no dogs. 

Tombs of the Rich and Not So Famous

It was Tomb Day again. Another museum to search for inscriptions, then a jaunt out to the filed. The first three attempts we made failed.....too tough roads and too little a car. A little Renault with low clear nece could not get some of he he places we needed to be. We did, however, manage a few dirt and rock and rough roads. I was driving again today and I leave no stone unturned. Or struck. We did fins"ly get to a valley with several sets of tombs dating from 300-30 BCE and then generally reused as homes in the Byzantine Pewriod (325-670CE). We generally went as far as the car could safely make it then trudged the remaining distance, across fields and weeds...

Our major sites today were a huge tomb complex then later housing nextwork, and then the Phrygiman city that was #2 in the kingdom of King Midas (800-600BCE). The giant stone facade of the city still stands. 

Another large tomb complex I sighted acros the valley and we made out way there.

We're not dead, yet. More tomorrow. 

Always Do One Dangerous Thing a Day

Today was no exception to the travel rule that "Danger" must be your middle name. But first, we began at the archaeological museum of Kantahya. Mark was looking for some specific funerary monuments published in 1956 that were supposed to be here. While inside, we did see the wonderful sarcophagus that pictures the Amazons fighting against the Greeks after Theseus married their queen and moved her to Athens. Impost several pics of it to honor Anya's week of suggesting that women rule the world. 

As a number of Horne funeral stela we wanted to see were beind the building in a garden, closed off from access, we the. Spent 2 hours try into get in....cups of tea and the final arrival of the Director later, along with a search through a number of books and their electronic database, finally gained us access.

As it is the Friday before the beginning of Ramadan, the month of fasting, we had to rush it as people were sort of anxious to take the weekend off after sitting around and smoking all morning. 

We drove from there to some early Christian cave shelters and houses. It was there our friend Danger appeared and forced us up a ladder on the side of a cliff....if you us want to see inside the cool caves, you gotta climb the stick ladder with rungs nailed every 18 inches.

At least the top of it rested inside the ancient grooves for their ladders, and we had one another to hold on while we climbed. Mark's longer legs had the advantage over me. We climbed in a few more caves, ran through the countryside from village to village, found more caves, then ended up here at the hotel. A day of unexciting caves---unless "Danger" is your middle name. 

Roman Phrygia

After a 3hour drive inland from Izmir, we arrived at our first stop, the un excavated city of Blaundos. 

Here we found remains of a theatre, stadium, an older Greek temple to Demeter pimped out by the Romans with marble and red indicated the Ceres, the goddess of grains and fertility.

Driving about 35 miles more we hit another a Roman city, complete with several bridges still used by traffic in the small town, around building that controlled market prices ( all approved prices carved on wall, example, a good male,slave is priced equal to 2 donkeys).

Nearby was a stadium and theater. We spent some time with the archaeologists working on the necropolis and examined several skeletons they had unearthed today. The huge Temple of Zeus dominated the city. 

Found our hotel, a huge stone monstrosity in the middle of a decrepit little town. To avoid the expensive hotel dinner, we went in search of food. Had the oddest wrap at the only eatery we found, a dessert shop. It was some sort of cold spicy mush with lettuce in the wrap. No idea; if we survive, all will be well.

Found a market and stocked up on water and drinks and cookies for tomorrow. Inland further we go to sites unseen, unfounded, and uncertain how t arrive. Climbing? Stay tuned.

Another small, nameless Byzantine settlement with church, but this time with windows on 2 sides....somebody was going against the rules!

A five story watchtower that just needed new wooded floors and ladders to make it move in heady. Any takers? Small farm included with sea views, bitterly cold and rainy winters, and all the goat droppings you can gather. 

A climb down a cliff side took us to these Roman funerarery reliefs. Part of the climb was down the ancient steps, making me glad I was in boots and not Roman leather sandals about to plunge to my death with a single slip.....

A temple built over a mausoleum from the Hellenistic period.

Byzantine church with arched colonnade on second storey. 

Main Street, Diocesarea. 

 Temple of Tyche (Fortuna) at Diocaesarea. 

Family tomb, Roman period. 

Roman aqueduct across a valley. 

Another watchtower and farm. Wow. We saw a lot of these.....

After a night flight we are back in Izmir for a day off and local travel before moving into the interior of the western part of Turkey.