Recently this month, archaeologists from Akdeniz University discovered vibrant colorful glass panels at the Andriake port of Myra. The excavations carried out as a part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s “Heritage for the Future” project offered a novel insight into the ancient site. Experts highlighted the importance of revealing such abundance of delicate glasswork technique called “Millefiori” for the first time in Türkiye.
A Brief Look Into the Ancient City
The ancient city of Myra, located near the Demre region in Antalya, dates back to the 5th century BCE, evidenced by Lycian inscriptions, coins, and rock-cut tombs. Referred to as “Myrrh” in some inscriptions, Myra was one of the six prominent cities of the Lycian League, which held significant political and religious influence within the region.
During the Byzantine Era, it was designated a “metropolis” in the administrative system while maintaining its ecclesiastical background. In the history of Christianity, Myra holds a significant place to this day due to the legacy of Saint Nicholas, mostly known as Santa Claus. His service as the city's bishop led to the construction of the Church of St. Nicholas to honor his memory. Thus, Myra still continues to stand out in this age as a notable city. Another remarkable aspect of the ancient city of Myra was its role as a center of commerce. Its connection to the port of Andriake enabled the city’s inhabitants to engage in extensive trade and maritime activities.
Despite facing significant challenges over time, including natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, as well as external raids, some of Myra’s structures have endured. Notable among these are the Roman theater and the Lycian rock-cut tombs. Ongoing excavations, which began in 2009, continue to uncover additional archaeological ruins and artifacts.
Heritage for the Future: Myra and Andriake Project
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the “Heritage for the Future: Myra and Andriake Project” and reserved a budget of 500 million TL for it. This project has been fueled by Nevzat Çevik who is a professor at Akdeniz University Faculty of Letters, Department of Archaeology, and his students.
The Stunning Glasswork: Millefiori
During the excavations, the archaeology team unearthed a great amount of colorful mosaic art pieces at the ancient port Andriake. These detected multicolored glassworks were manufactured using a distinctive technique called “Millefiori,” meaning a thousand flowers in Italian. What was surprising about the discovery was its rarity in Türkiye.
"Apart from 1-2 pieces in the literature or in our research, this is the first time we've encountered a glasswork of this technique in Türkiye. This is highly significant,” Çevik emphasized the rare presence of these vibrant decorations in Türkiye, in an interview with the Anadolu Agency.
According to him, each of these luxurious coverings were decorated intricately and delicately with bird, camel and saint figures. The specific style behind the interior decorations is "Opus Sectile" where diverse colored stone and marble materials are cut and laid into walls and floors to form a design. “These are works especially composed of different flowers and patterns, with each panel being unique. Since they are handmade, and the rods are drawn individually, no two are the same. Therefore, each panel is an original piece,” he said.
Çevik explained that they found approximately 10 square centimeters sized flat glass panels in the customs area of the agora in room 42. Initially there were only a few pieces, but after weeks of effort, the collection expanded to include thousands more. He said, “Dozens of our colleagues have been working for 2-3 months to put the pieces together. At the moment, we have almost fully completed 20-30 panels.”
Although the production of millefiori roots in the 1st century AD, Çevik stated that it was still early to assign an exact date of the glass. Hence, they continue their literature research. At the intersection of the Granarium and the Agora in Andriake, a building where glass wall decorations were unearthed is believed to have been the administrative center of the port, based on other excavated materials such as coins and ceramics, as well as its architectural features. The remains discovered within the same layer indicate that the colorful panels date between the 5th and 6th centuries AD.
Moreover, Çevik noted that they also unveiled uncut and unprocessed glass rods in the site. This raised an argument suggesting these materials were not only used in the area but might have been produced there as well. Thus, Myra may develop yet another characteristic in its history, serving as a center for glass craftsmanship.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy expressed his gratitude for the fascinating exploration on his social media as, "The flat panel millefiori coverings, which we found in Andriake and which draw attention due to their difficult and delicate glassworking technique, are significant enough to be considered among the discovery of the year for our country. I would like to thank our teams from the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, as well as Akdeniz University, for bringing these important and surprising findings to light."
The discovery of vibrant artifacts at the Andriake port has garnered attention within the archaeological community. While research into their origins proceeds, the detection of these artworks has already contributed numerous new insights to the history of Myra.
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