Opet signed a protocol with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism to support the excavation works of the Sillyon Ancient City in Antalya, which is accepted to have been founded by the heroes named Mopsos and Calchas after the Trojan War, with the aim of adding it to Turkey’s cultural heritage.
Opet brings its projects in Çanakkale, which stands out with its historical, mythological and cultural richness, where Tevfikiye Village has been reorganized as an “Archeo-Village” and Çıplak Village as an “Ethno-Village” to the Mediterranean. Within the scope of the Respect for History Project, which has been ongoing for 18 years to protect the cultural heritage of the Çanakkale Wars and the Trojan War, Opet continues its contribution to Turkey’s historical and cultural heritage by sponsoring the excavations in the ancient city of Sillyon.
Opet signed a protocol in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism to unearth the ancient city of Sillyon, which is believed to have been founded by the heroes Mopsos and Calchas after the Trojan War. Pamukkale University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kutluhan, Antalya Belek University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yazıcı, Serik District Governor Cemal Şahin, Serik Deputy Mayor Mehmet Yıldırım, Antalya Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Dr. Candemir Zoroğlu, Opet Board Founding Member Nurten Öztürk and Sillyon Excavation Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Taşkıran attended this important ceremony.
Nurten Öztürk, Founding Member of Opet Board of Directors, said, “Our journey that started in Çanakkale has extended to the Mediterranean” and stated that Çıplak Village was an important starting point in the discovery of Troy and that as Opet, they are proud to protect historical riches. Öztürk stated that they are very happy to support the excavation works of Sillyon Ancient City as part of the Respect for History Project they started in 2006.
Pamukkale University faculty member and Sillyon Excavation Head Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Taşkıran said that Sillyon is an important cultural heritage site and that the excavation works will be further strengthened with the support of Opet. Antalya Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Candemir Zoroğlu stated that Opet’s sponsorship and communication capability will make Sillyon more known. Pamukkale University Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kutluhan stated that Opet’s support contributed greatly to the university’s archaeology and art history studies.
In Sillyon Ancient City, where the first excavations started in 2020, studies are being carried out on structures such as necropolis, stadium and baths. A team of 40 people, including expert archaeologists from Pamukkale University, Akdeniz University, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University, Isparta Süleyman Demirel University, Belek University, Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa and Istanbul Technical University, are conducting these excavations.
Sillyon, which is one of the rare cities that Alexander the Great could not conquer and dates back 4 thousand years, draws attention with its necropolis, stadium, bathhouse, Ottoman Fountain and Kale Masjid. Sillyon, which is accepted to have been founded after the Trojan War and located in the Pamphylia Region, is located on a hill overlooking the Antalya Plain bordered by the Taurus Mountains. The city has hosted an uninterrupted historical process from the Iron Age to the Ottoman Period and stands out as an important cultural heritage site bearing the traces of many civilizations with its multi-layered structure.
