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Zeus Temple Unearthed in Turkey After 40 Years

Archaeologists in southern Turkey have uncovered part of the long-lost Zeus Temple in the ancient city of Limyra, nearly four decades after its existence was first documented in inscriptions. Although the temple had been mentioned since 1982, its exact location remained unknown until recent excavations revealed its remains in the western part of the city.
Limyra, situated at the foot of Toçak Mountain near Antalya’s Finike district, was an important Lycian center and later a prominent Byzantine episcopal city. Famous for its rock tombs, monumental tombs, theater, Roman bath, and ancient avenue, the city has long been a focus of archaeological interest.
Under the direction of Kudret Sezgin of Hitit University and the Austrian Archaeological Institute, this year’s excavations led to the long-awaited discovery. Sezgin explained that archaeological evidence places Limyra’s earliest urban development in the classical period about 2,400 years ago, during the reign of King Pericles. Written sources indicate that Zeus remained the chief deity of the city through the Hellenistic and Roman eras.
The newly uncovered section includes the temple’s eastern façade and anta walls, revealing a structure 15 meters wide. A Byzantine-era city wall was later built over its front. The sacred chamber, or cella, lies beneath a privately owned orange grove; excavations will continue after expropriation procedures.
Ceramics found in the area suggest human occupation as far back as 5,000 years, and the discovery is reshaping long-held ideas about Limyra’s urban layout. A monumental gate once thought to be part of the Hellenistic fortifications is now identified as the propylon—the entrance to the temple’s sacred precinct during the classical period.

Published on: 14-11-2025

Source: Daily Sabah