On 20 May 2025, the Austrian Archaeological Institute celebrates the 130th anniversary of its research in Ephesos. Since 1895, Austrian archaeologists have been conducting research in the ancient metropolis in western Turkey, which was home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Ephesos has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015.
Ephesos offers scientists the unique opportunity to explore a city and its surrounding area that was continuously inhabited from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages and was not later built over. The diverse research activities in Ephesos are carried out by the Austrian Archaeological Institute with the participation of national and international research institutions. They include excavations at various sites in the city, building research, the processing of the rich find material, scientific analyses and the restoration and conservation of monuments and objects.
Today, the Ephesos excavation is a major archaeological undertaking: the team consists of an average of 200 scientists and 30-40 workers per year. In addition to archaeology, the preservation of the ruins, the training of students and the dissemination of knowledge are key tasks of the excavation. The basis for the work of the Austrian excavation team on site is a permit from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Turkey, which is applied for annually.
To mark the anniversary, the Austrian Broadcasting Company (ORF) is focusing on the topic in June and July, kicking off on 30 June with the radio programme »Science Arena«, which was recorded directly in Ephesos. In addition to the documentary »Ephesos – Eine antike Weltstadt« by Viktoria Tatschl, there will be articles in Mayr's magazine, the programme Dimensionen and an online dossier with background articles and exclusive photo material from the current excavations at science.orf.at.
A special highlight will be a daily livestream directly from the excavation site in Ephesos, starting on 9 July. Viewers on orf.on will have the opportunity to watch archaeologists excavating and conservators conserving wall paintings in real time for four hours. The stream will be supplemented by accompanying articles on ORF III and in the daily programme of ORF 2.
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