KAZı SONUÇLARI - Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı

APHRODISIAS, 2001R.R.R. SMITH*Christopher RATTEINTRODUCTIONAphrodisias occupies the site of an ancient sanctuary in a valley some 35 km.south of the Maeander River. The clty was founded in the 2nd century B.C., in the courseof the intensive urbanization of the Meaender region, promoted first by the Hellenistickings of 8yrian and Pergamon, and then by the Romans. A geophysical surveycarried out between 1995 and 1998 has shown that Aphrodisias was a planned townlaid out on a rectangular grid. The heart of the city was occupied by the traditional centersof Greek civic life: the sanctuary of the patron deity, the Agora, and the Theater. Inaddition, Aphrodisias is fortunate in the proximity of fine marble quarries, only a few kilometersaway in the hills to the north of the city. By the Iate 1st century B.C., thanksin large part to the easy accessibility of these quarries, a local tradition of skilled marblecarving was firmly established. Current research on Aphrodisias has two main emphases:the urban development of the city, and the history of its local sculpture industry.Our project is sporısored by New York University, and we are grateful to the to the Ministryof Culture and the General Directorate of Monuments and Museums of the Republicof Turkey for their continuing support.FIELDWORKFieldwork in 2001 focused as in previous seasons on the North Agora and surroundingbuildings in the center of city, and on the 8tadium and related structures onthe north edge of the city including the city wall (Fig. 1).North Agora and Surrounding BuildingsNorth Agora: The North Agora was a large colonnaded square (Fig. 2). Earlierresearch on the Agora has concentrated on study of the surraunding colonnades, andon investigation of a number of structures in the open area of the spuare, detected bya geophysical survey carried out in 1998. These inCıude the foundation of a smail building,perhaps an altar, in the center of the Agara, and a structure which appears to bea sunken courtyard in the southwest corner. Research in 2001 focused on the buildingon the north side of the square, the Bouleuterion and a large Iate Roman house knownas the Bishop's Palace.Bouleuterion: Architectura/ studyand documentation of the Bouleuterion, begunby Lonny Bier in 1994, continued in 2001. A program of architectural conservation be-R.R.R. SMITH, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University 1 East 78th Street, New York, NY 10021/U.S.A.Christopher RATTE, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University 1 East 78th Street, New York, NY 100211 U.S.A.327