2012
Copyright PERSEE 2003-2023. Works reproduced on the PERSEE website are protected by the general rules of the Code of Intellectual Property. For strictly private, scientific or teaching purposes excluding all commercial use, reproduction and communication to the public of this document is permitted on condition that its origin and copyright are clearly mentionned.
Rifat Ergeç et al., « Historique des fouilles », Publications de l'Institut Français d'Études Anatoliennes, ID : 10670/1.gvb71a
From the beginning of the XXth century, when the Belgian historian Frantz Cumont identified the ruins of Zeugma at Belkis, the site has interested a lot of people. First of all, antiquities robbed from Zeugma with the complicity of diplomatic authorities, appeared in the Western museums and collections. After the First World War, peasants began looting the site, under influential people's command. Then, being aware of the value of antiquities and skilful in extracting mosaics, they worked for themselves. Later on, in the seventies, the situation improved but looting never stopped. This plundering was made easier thanks to the situation of Zeugma which is a lonely place ; moreover, geology also played a part. The whole valley is constituted with marl which appears to cover the ruins with a very hard fill into which robbers could safely dig tunnels to reach antiquities. Legal researches began in 1971-1972 when J. Wagner worked at Zeugma for his thesis. Then scientific activities stopped for several years. In 1987, two looters who had been surprised in the Eastern necropolis, drew attention to this part of the ancient city which was completely unknown before. The Museums of Gaziantep and Malatya conducted excavations and put to light numerous funerary steles but work had to stop. In 1992, staff from the Gaziantep Museum investigated a robbers' tunnel. A floor could be seen with traces of mosaic. The subsequent discovery of two large, high-quality mosaics lead us to conserve and protect the pavements in situ. This decision marks a turning point in the history of archaeology at Zeugma : for the first time, antiquities had been salvaged by the State and peasants began appreciating and feeling responsible for them. In 1992, Prof. Dr. David Kennedy from Western University was associated to the Museum works. Although he could only investigate for two weeks, he unearthed some fragments of the Metiochos and Parthenope mosaic. In 1994, when the project of building a dam just below the village of Belkis was known, the General Director of Monuments and Museums and the Gaziantep Museum called for archaeologists to come and work in the affected area. In 1995 a French team, led by Prof. Dr. Catherine Abadie-Reynal, then Scientific Secretary in the French Institute for Anatolian Studies, decided to work on both sides of the Euphrates, at Apameia as well as at Zeugma, whereas another French team, led by Dr. Catherine Marro and Aksel Tibet, began investigations at Horum Höyük. In 1996, mosaics were discovered in the dam building area. Gaziantep Museum excavations revealed Roman baths and a gymnasium. In 1997, a Swiss-German team decided to work at Zeugma to search the fortress of the Roman legion and to investigate the Roman military installations in and around the city. The same year, a very rich Early Bronze Age necropolis was unearthed by the Gaziantep Museum on the Western bank of the river. In 1998-1999, several other trenches were opened, where high-quality mosaics could be put to light. In 1999, the French team which was conducting systematic soundings, found a triclinium mosaic with two panels, representing Dionysos and Daidalus. Investigations revealed that a luxurious house had been discovered. The Gaziantep Museum went on excavating on this terrace where several rich houses had been built. This discovery made Zeugma famous all over the world. In June 2000, Packard Humanities Institute got involved in the excavations at Zeugma and tried to organize an international project. At the beginning, the results of this participation were positive and many antiquities could be saved. But, soon, problems arose and excavations stopped in October 2000. Post excavation researches could then be conducted, as well as conservation works. But quickly, variations of the water-level provoked collapses of the banks and revealed new antiquities. So, the Gaziantep Museum had to intervene again to prevent looters to steal antiquities. Now, it is hoped that time will be taken to think about the strategy for future investigations, the way restoration will be conducted and the site and its surroundings will be organized for tourism.