Digs unearth riches of Istanbul's 'Land of the Blind'

Archeological excavations around a train station in Istanbul have unearthed a wealth of historical ruins, including tombs, artifacts, and a bath, all hinting of the rich past of the ancient city of Khalkedon (Kadıköy), also called "the Land of the Blind."

Around the historical Haydarpaşa Train Station, located on the Asian side of Istanbul, excavations for subway construction revealed historical remains. The digs, started in 2018 by Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry and Istanbul Archeological Museums, have been done with the utmost care for the last two years.

Digs revealing historical structures from the Ottoman, Byzantine, Hellenistic, and Classical eras shed light on the deep roots of Turkey, a cradle of civilizations.

Remains were found by a team of 430 people, including archeologists and museum experts, in an area of 350,000 square meters including the area surrounding subway stations and Ibrahimaga, near Haydarpaşa. These remains give significant hints about Khalkedon, the ancient Land of the Blind from some 2,500 years ago.

The area reportedly got its name around 667 B.C. when Byzas from Megara established a colony on the European peninsula of the Golden Horn, opposite Khalkedon on the Asian side. The people of Khalkedon must have been blind not to have settled on the perfect spot, the peninsula just across the water, he reasoned. (The Byzantine Empire, which ruled Istanbul until 1453, when it was conquered by Ottoman forces, was named after Byzas.)

Palace and castle

The fruits of these digs include architectural remains, tombs, artifacts, a bath and around 10,000 gold coins belonging to Khalkedon.

The excavations revealed the remains of a possible fifth-century palace and a T-shaped...