Paleogeographical Research and Geoarchaeological Interpretations On the Aphrodisias Wetland Area

The ancient city of Aphrodisias is located in the Karacasu tectonic trough (graben), on the foot-plain of the Akda？ mountain range. The plain was formed on the terrestrial deposits (alluvial fans and lakes) covering the bottom of the graben in the Neogene, and then changed into a plateau by incision of the Karacasu River (Dandalaz) and its tributaries. These properties are not suitable for the presence of a widespread ground water table under the surface. However, Aphrodisias has plenty of water, which reaches to the surface and accumulates in the pits. These waters came out from springs which are originated from tectonic-karstic processes and now covered by alluvial-colluvial surface deposits, to the northwest of the area. This study is carried out to investigate the effects of the water on the development of physical characteristics of geographical environment, and settlement and cultural development since the prehistoric times. For this purpose, physical and paleontological properties of the sediments obtained from 15 percussion drillings in the Afrodisias city area were investigated and chronological data were used. The deepest part of the wetland sediments reaches a thickness of up to 13 m in the South Agora Pool of the Roman period. Here, it was possible to separate three stratigraphic units in terms of the morphology of the depression, where the wetland sediments were deposited, and the characteristics of the sediments. The upper level of the second unit was dated 40,000 years ago, according to 14C analysis. Thus, the formation of the wetland dates back to the pre-Holocene times. The oldest known settlement time goes back to 5000 years ago (Late Bronze -Chalcolithic periods). These settlements are undoubtedly related to the presence of water. The water also was an important factor in the development of the Hellenistic and Roman cities. Urbanization started as a sanctuary near the water and gained value with architectural structures such as bath and agora pool. Today, water accumulated among the remains of the city is a problem for archaeological excavation and restoration works. Instead of considering this situation as a problem and thinking of draining the water directly, we think it would be interesting to include water presence in restoration planning and re-use them in water structures, and we recommend such an application