WATER SUPPLY TUNNELS OF ?STANBUL KÜÇÜKÇEKMECE LAKE BASIN (BATHONEA)

Ali Hakan E?ilmez, Emre Kuruçay?rl?, Gül?en Küçükali(*), Metin Albukrek(*), Elif Aytekin Uzel(*), ?engül G. Ayd?ngün,
Arkeolog, Lecturer in Istanbul Technical University, member of ASPEG (Anatolian Speleological Society)
Arkeolog, member of ASPEG (Anatolian Speleological Society)
(*)member of ASPEG (Anatolian Speleological Society)
Asst. Prof. Kocaeli University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Archeology

20 km west to Istanbul and Bosphorus, Küçükçekmece Lake basin showed its difference in richness of evidences. The excavations started in 2009. During the first five years, massif buildings constructed by the Constantine the Great were discovered and number of small finds were recovered. A huge open cistern, two harbors, ancient roads, market place, basilica are excavated by an international team. It seemed that the life stopped suddenly in the 11th century AD by two successive and massive earthquakes. Just below the debris of these catastrophes, Late Roman imperial buildings ruins emerged in the excavation. There are evidences that the area have been inhabited back to neolitic time.

During the excavations, a narrow tunnel was discovered, when a stone cover was lifted. At first, the lenght was measured as 10 meters with some water at the bottom. Later, ASPEG (Anatolian Speleological Society) was invited to explore another discovered very narrow tunnel entrance. During the studies, both of the tunnels were entered and by passing through very narrow sections, exiting discoveries were made. Until now, two tunnels with a total lenght of 313 meters and 5 rectangular chimneys (putei), having heights between 4.5-7.7 meters were discovered, mapped, filmed and photographed.

Most suprisingly, both of the structures are still serving the purpose they were build at the ancient time, extracting underground water and leading by gravity to the surface (kanat system). One of the tunnel has been covered by flowstones pools and bottom level has already been risen up making difficult to crawl. Studies, excavations and discoveries are continuing in the area.

Correspondance Mail adresses:
metin.albukrek@unilever.com
malbukrek@gmail.com

Lascia un commento

Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato. I campi obbligatori sono contrassegnati *