Ancient Production Activities Discovered in Mount Nif (Olympos), İzmir

Abstract

In the archaeological excavations started in 2006 at Mount Nif (Olympos) in the east of Izmir, within the borders of Kemalpaşa, Torbalı, Buca and Bornova today, the evidence of different productions was found. Especially, data on metal, and agricultural productions are evaluated in detail. Various finds showing that metal was produced in the Antiquity were found with the excavations in Karamattepe, Kemalpaşa, Vişneli. Among the ancient metallurgical activities in Karamattepe, it has become certain that bronze casting, silver separation from ore, iron smelting and iron shaping workshops were carried out. Karamattepe is a unique example in terms of presenting finds related to different metallurgical activities in the same area. Archaeological evidence of this mining and metal production activity, which is understood to have at least two phases, provided us valuable information revealing the nature and history of this settlement between Lydia and Ionia, which is not mentioned in inscriptions and ancient sources. Lacks in the typology and the dating of the products obtained as a result of these metallurgical activities are clarified with Karamattepe finds. Around Mount Nif, the surface finds belonging to the installations showing that olive oil and wine production, were made in Antiquity as well as today. The first evaluations about these show that agricultural production areas are not located in the settlement but a little further outside. Determining the functions and distributions of these agricultural production traces will provide data for studies on understanding the road networks, trade capacity and demography of the region in Antiquity.

Keywords

• smyrna
• mount nif
• archaeometallurgy
• olive oil
• wine