Ongoing excavations on the Dara Ancient City within the central Artuklu district of southeastern Mardin have revealed a outstanding 1,500-year-old ingesting water channel spanning 400 meters (1,312.34 toes) in size.
The excavations have been initiated 38 years in the past beneath the scientific consultancy of professor Metin Ahunbay. Led by the then deputy director of the Mardin Museum, Abdülhalik Ekmen, proceed yielding vital findings within the Oğuz District, positioned 30 kilometers (18.64 miles) from the town heart.
This 12 months’s discoveries within the agora (bazaar) of the traditional metropolis, established by the Eastern Roman Empire as a defensive outpost in opposition to the Sassanids, embody a well-preserved ingesting water system from the Roman interval. The system, unearthed alongside over 10 outlets and workshops, incorporates a channel that transported water from a cistern found roughly 35 years in the past. Notably, the channel, safeguarded by huge 2-ton stones, distributed water by way of a sophisticated pipe system.
Mardin Museum Director and Head of Excavations Abdulgani Tarkan shared insights into the importance of the findings, stating, “We detected a clean water system extending from the cistern to the agora.” The discoveries make clear the delicate water administration practices employed within the historical metropolis, based by Emperor Anastasios in 507, to safeguard the Eastern Roman Empire’s borders.
An historical water transportation system resembling the famed Basilica Cistern in Istanbul has additionally been uncovered within the metropolis of Dara. Dating again 1,500 years, this intricate community of water cisterns facilitated the switch of water to fulfill the ingesting wants of the town’s inhabitants. Devrim Hasan Menteşe, an archaeologist on the Mardin Museum, shared insights into current discoveries made throughout excavations close to the agora and partitions that commenced in 2018.
Menteşe revealed the presence of water channels beneath the outlets, resulting in a considerable water channel. The Ancient City of Dara, initially established as a garrison accommodating 25,000 troopers, posed a big problem in offering for such a big inhabitants. The intricate water system, together with terracotta pipe methods, was essential in distributing water to the agora’s outlets and all through the town.
The underground water channels, rigorously coated with giant stones for preservation, have been integral to Rome’s skill to move and defend water. Menteşe emphasised the significance of this historic engineering feat, highlighting its position in sustaining a thriving historical neighborhood.
Looking forward, Menteşe expressed plans to proceed excavation work within the upcoming season, aiming to finish the world inside a couple of years. Anticipating vital contributions to the visible attraction of the Ancient City of Dara, he famous a rising inflow of each day guests drawn by current excavations. The ongoing discoveries promise to boost the historic website’s attract, fostering an elevated curiosity in its wealthy previous.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
