First Coin in History Forged in Kyme
A perfect sewage system
Lagona said that they are renovating the artifacts taken from the ancient city of Kyme in a museum.She has been excavating in Turkey for 35 years and highly impressed by the Kyme excavations,she added.
Lagona stated that a lot of civilizations have lived in Kyme and the cultures have influenced each other: They disposed sewage by saving them in sewer wells and refining instead of dumping it into the sea they lived by. Its amazing how a city that was founded thousands of years ago provided such a civilized city life said Lagona.
The professor also said that Kyme was the biggest harbor city of the Mediterranean and the excavations should continue at least for another 15 years to reveal the rest of the city.
Financial support for the museum from Italy
Lagona said that they are renovating the artifacts taken from the ancient city of Kyme in a museum in Izmirs Aliaga district. However, since the museum is yet to be fully operated, they are sending the artifacts to various museums in Izmir, Bergama and Istanbul. When the museum of Aliaga is completed, the artifacts will continue their existence on the land they were produced.
The museum is still far from completion due to insufficient funds, indicated Lagona and added that this issue will be solved through grants by an Italian businessman.
Lagona said The municipality only allocated the plot of land. The financial support was provided by the Catania University. An Italian businessman who worked with Turkey offered sponsorship for the completion of the museum and the excavations. The Italian Consulate officials in Izmir are dealing with the procedures.
First coin forged not in Lidia but in Kyme?
The big city of Eoli, whose history goes as far back as 1100 B.C, amazes us more and its import for the Mediterranean civilization becomes clearer every day, Lagona says.
The city of Kyme, located on the 55th kilometer of Izmir-Canakkale overland, eight kilometers far from the district of Aliaga, was one of the most important settlements, she adds.
Kyme is known as the biggest harbor city of the Mediterranean in history. The trade here was the heart of the Meditterranean. Moreover, it was an important capital for democracy and freedom.
The trade in Kyme, was highly developed in such areas like wine-businesses, olives, grapes, wheat and ceramics.
The most significant findings that support the role of Kyme in the Mediterranean were obtained in the last five years. In the first years, the harbor area, theatre, the temple on the north hill, city center, the sitting area on the south hill was brought under day light.
In the recent years, we have discovered the Roman Bath, the road with the pseudo pillars and the entrance with the columns in the harbor area.
It was our knowledge that the first currency in history was used by the Lidians through the end of the seventh century, however, during Kyme excavations, we have discovered that they had used coins in the sixth century, a century earlier than in Lidia.
They have channeled hot water from the nearby Ilicaburun area through lead pipes for Ilica Bath. Also, to avoid the harm from seismic activity to hold the stones and pillars together, they binded the clamped stones with lead plates. This finding is also very interesting.
Mayors support for the cultural heritage
The Mayor of Aliaga, Tansu Kaya, visited the ancient city of Kyme and emphasized the importance of the excavations for the presentation of Aliaga across the globe.
We, as the municipality, want the historical and cultural heritage brought under day light says Kaya and called attention to Kymes location on the Nemrut harbor. We want to make Nemrut the center of naval commerce again after a thousand years. After the findings in Kyme, Nemrut proves that its deserves this. (NB/EK)