Aigai Antique City - Part 1 (Discover the Turkey)

AIGAI
Ancient city of Aigai, which is located on Gün Mountain 2km south of Yuntdağıköseler village of Manisa city, is especially remarkable with its monumental architectural remains that are partially standing still. Herodotos (5 th century BC) counts Aigai as one of the 12 cities of Aiols in the region of Aiolis. The construction technique used on the walls of Acropolis indicates that the settlement has been protected by strong city walls in 6th century BC Although the ancient sources state that Aiols began their migration in ca. 1100 BC, there is no archaeological evidence from the excavations, pointing earlier than 7th century BC yet. The city has been a center of economical and cultural attraction in the region, by teh support of Permagon Kingdom, starting from the 3th century BC, and monumental buildings like Theatre, City Council Building (Bouleuterion) and the Market Building have been constructed. Aigai is being excavated since 2004 by a team led by Prof. Dr. Ersin Doğer from Ege University Department of Archaeology.

NEKROPOLIS (CEMETERY)
Almost all of the borth-eastern slopes og Gün Mountain, and the northern slopes of the valley which contains the ancient road between Gryneion and Magnesia, are arranged as “necropolis”. Tiny tumuli that surrounded by small Stones, a small amount of chamber tombs, square structures around chest tombs, inhumations, sarcophagi and amphora tombs are some of the significant types of tombs.

During the recent excavations, tombs that have been dated between Archaic Period and 3th century AD have been discovered. It has been observed that during the Hellenistic Period, in accordance with the development of the city, the burials have been increased in the necropolis, tombs surrounded by stone walls have been occurred, and the number of the chest tombs with rich gifts has been increased. Also in Roman Period (end of 2nd and the beginning of 3rd century AD) sarcophagi with “tabula ansata” and garlands, been popular.