Turkey: 2,050-year-old columns rise again in sanctuary

By Durmus Genc

MUGLA, Turkey (AA) - Unearthed columns in the 3,000-year-old Lagina Hecate Sanctuary, once a center of paganism in southwestern Turkey, have been restored and have risen again.

"We are happy to repair the columns and to put them back in their places that were set up here 2,050 years ago,” said Bilal Sogut, a leader of the excavation team, as he noted the group is working in areas where people were protected from the sun in summer and rain in winter in ancient times.​​​​​​​

Sogut pointed out that the temple was built in the name of Hecate, an important goddess of the period, in Lagina, and was a religious center of Stratonikeia Ancient City, located 8.5 kilometers (5.28 miles) from Yatagan district in Mugla.

He said the dig has continued for 12 months in the sanctuary and all architectural blocks are revised where they used to belong.

“Visitors will now be able to see these columns as they were 2,050 years ago. The columns are now standing in the sanctuary where a ceremony was held in the name of the goddess Hecate in ancient times,” he said.

He underscored that the biggest temple that was built in the name of Hecate is also there and a fourth gate was unearthed in the ancient city, It was known to have three gates.

Artifacts from the region are exhibited in the Istanbul Archeology Museum and Mugla Museum.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin