Cosmetic shops discovered in ancient city of Antandos

Fatih Emrah Erdoğan / Balıkesir, Sep 29 (DHA) – Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Antandros in the northwestern province of Balıkesir, where work has been continuing for 16 years, have revealed a number of ancient shops which sold cosmetics, indicating that women have been interested in such products for millennia.

Supervised by Ege University Professor Dr. Gürcan Polat, excavation works are conducted by a 50-member squad for the current excavaiton season.

“This year we have focused on "Roma Villa." We conducted studies to find it’s main gate and determining its borders" Antandos excavation Acting President Specialist Archaeologist Rabia Aktaş said. "We have discovered eight shops in Roma Villa. We have uncovered two of the shops and the foundlings we have found are well preserved. The shops were used to sales of cosmetics and earthenwares. The shops are not public property, they are owned by the owner or Roma Villa. With the start of educational period we are conducting our studies with 10 persons. We will stay here until the end of november and work to unearth the rest of the shops and the Street the shops are on” she added.

The President of Recovery, Preserve and Sustenance of Antandos Ancient City Gülçin Cömert said, “We are conducting excavation studies for 16 years now, and every year we discover different foundlings. This year we have discovered cosmetic shops under a private property. We could have conducted a wider study but we ha confiscating problems, the excavation site is still not a archaeological site yet. In order to be a archaeological site the field must be confiscated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The studies on this subject are going on, but it needs to be put on the fast track.

Antandos is one of the most important necropolis’ of Western Anatolia. Antandos Ancient City was a residental area between 8th century B.C. to 1st century B.C., which makes the ancient city unique in Anatolia.

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