The city of Ephesos from the late Bronze Age to its re-foundation by Lysimachus

The research project is reconstructing the early settlement history of Ephesos. Interdisciplinary research has demonstrated how the shift of the coast has changed the settlement structure. An archaic-classical residential quarter was verified through excavations as well as a new terrace in the rock shrine of Meter with in-situ finds.

The unknown Ephesos

The aim of this project is to study the location, size, structure, and chronology of the settlement in the area of Ephesos through systematic archaeological and interdisciplinary methods from the late Bronze Age to the beginning of the Hellenistic period. The ruins visible today trace back to the re-foundation through king Lysimachus at the beginning of the 3^rd century BCE. At the time the city already had a history spanning millennia. Very little is known about the city’s forerunner; only very few excerpts mention it in the ancient written sources. Archaeologically the late Bronze Age, early Iron Age, archaic, and classical settlement phases are difficult to explore: the corresponding levels and building remains are often covered by several meters of alluvial deposits, are located below the water level, or were covered by later structures.

A city of scattered quarters

Since the early 7^th century BCE new settlements developed along the coast. This form of scattered settlements can often be seen among early Greek poleis. Through the systematic mapping and analysis of older research results as well as through precise trenches in selected places it was possible to reconstruct the development of the settlement from the late Bronze Age to the early Hellenistic period.