Traces of an Ottoman shipyard were found in the ancient city of Parion

Excavation Director Prof. Dr. Vedat Keleş stated that numerous Ottoman-era ceramics were unearthed in the ancient harbor, saying, "We have been excavating in the ancient city for 20 years, but we had not found any Ottoman-era objects. We discovered a considerable number of Ottoman ceramics underwater."

Excavations are continuing at the 2,700-year-old port city of Parion, located within the village of Kemer in the Biga district. This year, the excavations are being carried out by a team of 36 people, 18 of whom are international members, led by Prof. Dr. Vedat Keleş, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Head of the Department of Archaeology at Ondokuz Mayıs University. Underwater excavations at the ancient city of Parion have unearthed numerous Ottoman ceramics, as well as the remains of what may be an Ottoman shipyard.

'WE DISCOVERED MANY OTTOMAN CERAMIC ARTIFACTS UNDER WATER'

Excavation Director Prof. Dr. stated that the Parion Ancient City was one of the most important port cities of the ancient Northern Troad Region. Vedat Keleş said, “The Parion Ancient City 2025 excavation work has been ongoing since April with the permission and financial support of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, as well as the labor support of the Çanakkale Governorate, our official sponsor İÇDAŞ A.Ş., Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University Rectorate, Biga District Governorate, and the Biga Municipality. This year, we are currently working with a team of 36. Eighteen of these 36 are foreign colleagues from the Moscow High School of Economics and the Paris Montaigne University, while the remaining 18 are workers and Turkish colleagues. One of the main areas of our work this year will be underwater research. Last year, during the short-term underwater surveys conducted by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bilir of Düzce University and his team in the southern harbor, the ancient harbor of Parion, we encountered very surprising data.”

Prof. Dr. Keleş stated that they had been excavating the ancient city for 20 years and had not found any findings from the Ottoman Period until last year, and continued:

"During our brief underwater explorations last year, we encountered a significant amount of Ottoman ceramics. This prompted us to conduct some literature research. In this literature study, we discovered that Kemer Pier was not only one of the Ottoman Navy's most important lumber supply points for almost 300 years, from 1574 until the 19th century, but also one of the most important shipping points for meeting Istanbul's wood needs at various times. Prof. Dr. Keleş said, "We consider this discovery an exciting discovery, not only for the city's antiquity but also for our national history."

'THE STUDY WILL ALLOW US TO REACH ANCIENT AND OTTOMAN PERIOD WRECKS'

Prof. Dr. said that they realized in their research that it is not a coincidence that the Bodrum Cape in the southern harbor is also called Tersane Cape. Keleş said, "We want to continue our underwater research here with greater momentum this year. This region is located on the Dardanelles, one of the world's most important waterways and trade routes from ancient times to the present. Therefore, the ceramics we have observed during our underwater research definitely confirm the information we have encountered in our literature review regarding the Ottoman Period. The studies we will conduct on these ceramics and the underwater surveys we will conduct in and around the ancient harbor will perhaps enable us to uncover not only ancient-era shipwrecks but also Ottoman-era shipwrecks. Therefore, we believe that these studies will provide very important data not only about the region's ancient period but also about Ottoman-era shipbuilding. The data obtained during the underwater research, the literature studies, and the activities carried out in the region today also prove that there is a historical continuity in the region in terms of maritime. Our official sponsor, İÇDAŞ A.Ş., is one of the most important shipbuilding and ship repair centers in the region and our country today, which presents an interesting situation in terms of demonstrating the historical continuity in the maritime industry in the region from past to present. The Kemer Shipyard and pier are also the site of the Ottoman, "It was also a place where ships for the Egyptian navy were built. Therefore, this information shows us that a very large Ottoman shipyard and outbuildings may have been underwater in Parion's southern harbor, next to the ancient harbor," he said.

Professor Dr. Keleş, emphasizing that traces of this were discovered underwater last year, said, "We plan to continue this investigation with further investigation this year and in future seasons. Our work on this issue is ongoing. We will request support from our local administrators and ministry to ensure the healthy and effective conduct of these studies. If further data on underwater research is collected and shipwrecks are discovered in the future, perhaps the establishment of an underwater research institute within Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University in the region may even be on the agenda."

DHA

Reporter: News Center