Academics spending more than 30 years in ancient excavation area

When the first excavations in the ancient city of Patara began in 1988, archaeologists and academics were using wheelbarrows to carry their digging items and their findings. Now that they found a trove of ancient relics, they say it's time for conservation.

The excavations have so far trained three professors, two associate professors and three doctors in the Harbor Bath excavations.

"Here, we have not forgotten what efforts were put in the process that started with a wheelbarrow and continued with cranes. Now it's time for conservation," the head of the Patara excavations, Professor Havva İşkan Işık said. 

As 2020 was declared the Year of Patara, interest increased in the ancient city, located between the Mediterranean province of Antalya's Kaş and the nearby Muğla province's Fethiye districts.

Right next to Patara is one of the most beautiful beaches of the Mediterranean, and sand dunes are almost reminiscent of the deserts of Egypt. The 18-kilometer beach is also one of the rare beaches where Caretta carettas have been laying eggs and hatching for millions of years.

Horse and camel safari tours are organized by the entrepreneurs in the region on the fine sand dunes. Holidaymakers passing through the ancient city go on a unique journey through the beauty of the 12-kilometer Patara Beach. The beach turns into a natural photo studio at sunset.

Due to the coronavirus epidemic, activities were postponed in the ancient city as they were in many places.

Stating that the excavations have been going on for 32 years in the ancient city, Işık said," The coronavirus epidemic will also end one day. Here we want to make our ruins and antiquities ready for that process without coronavirus."

Işık shared photos of the past...