Archaeological findings in Istanbul
during the last 10 years

Mehmet I .Tunay
University of Istanbul

CITY WALLS Hypoege of Silivrikapi
During the restoration of the land walls in 1988 the level of the earth was decreased and the last 50 years' most important site came to light. Due to disagreement between the experts and cultural departments of the government the immediate preventative measurements were not taken. Finally an iron gate was placed at the entrance, which made it more attractive to the treasure hunters. Later a TV special was made called "Sur Gunlugu 1993" (Diary o the walls 1993). The restoration of the hypoege was based on this film. In 1994 it was published by Serdaroglu and Deckers. Inside the hypoege there were stone relievos which showed 4th - 5th century Byzantine sculpture technics. The window was one of a kind, it was a rare example of the Byzantine architecture, and unfortunately today we only have the pictures of it. There were also six tomb lids and a sarcophagus, which were destroyed through the years, passed. The thieves have broken the lids into 18 pieces but before succeeded stealing them they were captured by the police and all of the pieces were transferred to the archaeological museum of Istanbul. The frescoes of the hypoege were covered with plaster, which were removed carelessly, today they too are gone.

Excavations held between Silivrikap and Mevlevihanekapi :
In 1992 I was the adviser of this site. A hypodge was found just south of the tower number 46. There are six monograms that were published by C. Foss and D. Winfield in Byzantine fortifications tower 46. This gives us the exact restoration date of the walls. During the restorations excavations of the tower 46 in 1992 the four-roomed tomb was found just the south of it. In one of the rooms we found four cross frescoes in the style of of the iconoclasm period. The date on the tower and the crosses are the same. Nothing else was found except for a glass censer .At the north of the tower 46 we found seven tombs, in these tombs there were the same cross frescoes.

Mevlevihanekapi :
During the excavation held between Millet Caddesi and Mevlevihanekapi I was one of the team members when cross-shaped tomb stelles were found. In 1950 in order to build wide roads Sehremini area was excavated and earth was dumped here so this explains the existence of these stelles here. At the same area we ran into sarcophagus pieces which had resemblance with Taskasap.

Between Sarayburnu and Ahirkapi Feneri Between Sarayburnu and Ahirkapi Feneri is Iocate Mangane Palace. During the occupation of Istanbul 1919-1921 the Mangane area, which comes all the way to the foot of Topkapi was excavated m1d the results were published in 1939 by Demangel in Paris. Demangel had to close down the excavated sites. Some of the findings of one of the restored towers originally belonged to Polyektos church at Sarachane.

Great Palace :
Palace of Hormistas (6th. Century) There is another wall ruin, which makes us think of another function of the building. There are also in situ positioned columns, which gives the building a new look. Because of the local elections the work at the site was stopped, so the work is incomplete. When we move to the Great Palace, which Hormistas is connected to, we see that right across from the Mosaic Museum, a hotel was built illegally. On the same spot towards east to the Magnaura Palace which was known as the Stair cased Tower, was cleaned. On the same street a bigger part of the palace was found in 1998 the archive building of the palace was found. It was built as an archive building in 6th. Century, frescoes were applied in the 10th. century and another part of it was rebuild in 16th.century and perhaps it was used as Nakkashane. During the 19th. century the Fossati ruined the site by building the Adliye Sarayi ( courthouse )

St. Sophia's East Arch :
Plasters came off the arch because of dampness, and the mosaics of Ioannes Paloiologos V. and empress came out.

The Outer Courtyard of Sultanahmet Mosque :
As you know this is a first-degree historical site. And there was a non-scientific excavation held by the mosque was stopped by the archaeological museum officials. During this illegal work many gateways, monogrammed columns and seats that belonged to the Hippodrome were found. Another Finding Right Across Adliye Sarayi : It was one of the pavilions of the Roman imperial Palace. We heard that a frescoed panel had been seen but before the pictures were taken it was gone.

Bodrum Mosque Cistem During the construction of a parking lot, stairs on the south of the cistern were destroyed. Roof of the cistern had small domes but today we only see the flat stone platforms. Julia Anicia Palace : In the 50's, during the construction of the belediye sarayi (town hall) some palace floor mosaics were found. Today they are on display at the St.Sophia Museum's outer narthex. Later in 1991 foundation of an old building was found close to the location. This building could be the remains of Julia Anicia.

Atik Mustafa Pasa Mosque :
When Vakiflar was changing the floor it was chance to check the Reliker, but the permission was not given, also there were teseras on the floor which indicated that there were exmosaic panels as well as the frescoes m the building.

Samatya, floor mosaic with Dionisac Motif This might belong to a rich person's house, which is located outside the Constantine walls in the direction of Arianus Gate. Last year(1998) a Foundation was found near Zeyrek. On it's remaining wall, heart shaped decorative motifs can be seen. First it was used as a church than as a cistern. Again last summer the wooden building attached to Kalenderhane was knocked down and the apsis of the building came out for a brief period. Immediately a new building was built and attached to it closing the view of the apsis maybe for another century.

St. Sophia's underwater archaeology Very recently there was underwater archaeological work done in the cistern and in the wells of St. Sophia. A new TV program will be released soon covering this work.