Roman temple's raised platform unearthed in ancient Nicomedia

Excavation works in the northwestern Turkish province of Kocaeli’s İzmit district have revealed 17-stepped platform of a temple that is believed to date back to the Roman era.

The stepped platform of a Roman era temple unearthed in ancient Nicomedia 
[Credit: AA]

“As part of work in the region, we found a 17-step temple stairs,” Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Adnan Zamburkan said. “We see that the stairs continue upwards. There are the remains of a tunnel underneath the stairs. We think that the structures are connected to each other. This is the area where ancient Nicomedia was formed. We think that historical artifacts are in this field,” he said.

He also said they found a statue of the goddess of health had been found during the initial stage of the operations.

Nicomedia served as a capital in the Roman Empire and was a coastal town in which the world’s most magnificent palace sculptures were constructed, Zamburkan said.

Corinthian capitals at the archaeological site of ancient Nicomedia 
[Credit: AA]

The artifacts were discovered three months ago, when a local wanted to drill in the third-degree archaeological field in the Çukurbağ neighbourhood for construction.

“A sculpture was found during the works and excavations started in the area,” he said.

Zamburkan said they would remove the artifacts and place them on display so that they could be seen by visitors.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [June 21, 2016]