Sunday, July 18, 2010

900-year-old Byzantine church discovered in Turkey

A 900-year-old Byzantine church has been unearthed in the ancient city of Myra located in the town of Demre in the southern Turkish province of Antalya.

Professor Engin Akyürek from Istanbul University's Art History Department, who is also responsible for the Byzantine period artifacts unearthed during the ongoing excavations at Myra, told Anatolia on Wednesday that a well-preserved Byzantine church had been found six meters below ground level at the ancient site.

Akyürek said the five-meter-wide and 10-meter-high temple dome had been partially destroyed, but the tiles on the roof were still in good condition. "The church most probably belongs to the 12th century A.D., but we will be able to determine its exact period once we enter the building," Akyürek said.

Click here to read the full article from Hurriyet Daily News