Fresco travertine blocks revive southwestern ancient Turkish city of Laodicea

Laodicea was an important centre for art, commerce and trade in ancient Anatolia and is in the heartland of modern Turkey, popular with tourists.
Laodicea was an important centre for art, commerce and trade in ancient Anatolia and is in the heartland of modern Turkey, popular with tourists. Image: Carole Raddato Wikimedia CC BY SA 2.0

Laodicea is listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage temporary list and home to one of the seven churches mentioned in the Christian New Testament. Due to its size and date, the wall is being called one of the most important archaeological finds in recent times.

The wall is believed to be 1750 years old and is 52 metres wide and 9 metres high.

“These legendary fresco travertines were preserved underground thanks to the debris that fell onto them after the earthquake,” explains archaeologist Celal Simsek, supervisor of the excavation project since 2003.

To read more on the ancient city of Laodicea, log on to Daily Sabah.

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Doneren