This closure of the ancient road to visitors has perplexed me for many years, primarily, because I could see neither rhyme nor reason for it to be so, writes Glenn Maffia I continuously questioned locals, the local Tourist Information Centre and resident archaeologists and historians, all were at best vague, proffering a variety of equally…
Read More My feelings are probably dismissive of the gravity of this pandemic we continue to ease free from, though I certainly have sorely missed my usual visits to the Temple of Apollo. By Glenn Maffia A small window of opportunity offered itself recently and was hungrily devoured. Nothing much has changed upon the archaeological site; the…
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Last week, I received welcome correspondence from the hydrologist responsible for redirecting the water falling into the southeast section of the Temple of Apollo sanctuary. By Glenn Maffia This pleased me immensely as there has been a deafening silence from this quarter for several months. Though, after I sent photographs as evidence for the waters…
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IT was quite perplexing to observe the excavation trench reaching down into the depths of the Sacred Spring was in a condition of being reinterred when I visited the site on Sunday. Perplexing, for as to my knowledge the archaeologists had burrowed no further than 1 to 1.5 metres beneath the surface. That may have…
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Glenn Maffia ANOTHER archaeological season is now in full flow, much as the inundation of the southeast section of the Temple is also. It appears that the wonderfully articulate and knowledgeable team assembled this year have no doubt noticed that the aquatic theme is rather of a pressing concern. For their focus of excavation has…
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Glenn Maffia JUST as every summer sees the ‘awakening’ of the indolent hedonistic contingent, so too does the academic investigation of the Temple vicinity begin to shift through its gears in preparation to entice a few more secrets from this magnificent ancient structure. Unlike the hedonistic mob pursuing the rather spurious gratification of lying prone…
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REGIONAL Aydin media have highlighted the graffiti that has been daubed on some of the ancient stones of the Apollo Temple, stating that action should be taken to clean them up. Thousands of local and foreign tourists visited the Apollo Temple each year for the thousands of years of history. But it is the spray…
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THE sensitive renovation of the Exchange House, which will become a museum chronicling the Population Exchange of 1923, has received a major prize. It has been recognised as a winner in the Cultural Heritage Protection and Encouragement Competition organised by the Association of Turkish Historical Towns. President Deniz Atabay attended the ceremony in Antalya, along…
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Glenn Maffia IN a rather strange circumstance I find myself in Ortakent (near Bodrum) sitting in the dappled shade of a Tamarisk tree, the ones that grow in the sand of the beach, writing the final article of the printed edition this year. Present and past combine It has been a tremendous thrill and pleasure…
Read More Glenn Maffia IT has been well over a decade the archaeological team, under the supervision of Professor Helga Bumke, has been uncovering the impressive finds within the vicinity of the Temple but more significantly continuing ‘site management’ of the archaeological treasure. Their record has been mightily impressive, even if some years have gone by without…
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