Aegean and West Anatolian Amphorae from Tarsus, Zeytin Pazari: Roman Imperial and Late Antique Periods

Tarsus is located in the lowland part of the Cilicia Region. The modern city was built on the ancient city. Therefore, the ruins of the Ancient Period are encountered at different points of the modern settlement. The excavation area, called the Zeytin Pazarı, is located about 700 meters north of the Roman colonnaded street. A water reservoir structure and a mosaic from the Roman Period were discovered during the rescue excavation. After the structure lost its function, it was filled with soil, rubble, and many ceramics of different forms from the Late Antique Period. Among the ceramics are amphorae from different centuries and production centers. They prove Tarsus' trade relations with the Mediterranean, the Aegean, and the Black Sea. This article examines the Aegean and Western Anatolian amphorae of the Zeytin Pazarı. The paper aims to classify and date these amphorae. The finds were discovered alongside mixed fill material dating to the Roman and Late Antique Periods. Therefore, the amphorae were dated with the help of similar samples. As a result of the research, the excavation at Zeytin Pazarı has yielded the Aegean and Western Anatolian amphorae, such as DR 2-4, Late Rhodian, Kapitän II, LR 8, LR 2, and LR 3 types.