One of the most remarkable monuments of the Black Sea
region stands on a promontory lOkm inside the estuary of the
Dniester river, close to the Ukraine-Moldova border. In
Ottoman times the fortress of Aqkerman was one in a chain
of massive strongholds protectin~ the Black Sea and the
sultan's territory beyond from the predations of interlopers
from the north. In their heyday these strongholds stretched in
an arc from the Danube to the Sea of Azov, but from the end
o( the 18th century, following the victory of the Russian
Empire over the Ottomans, many of them were razed. Few
now remain intact to any degree, and Aqkerman is probably
the best preserved.
One of the most remarkable monuments of the Black Sea
region stands on a promontory lOkm inside the estuary of the
Dniester river, close to the Ukraine-Moldova border. In
Ottoman times the fortress of Aqkerman was one in a chain
of massive strongholds protectin~ the Black Sea and the
sultan's territory beyond from the predations of interlopers
from the north. In their heyday these strongholds stretched in
an arc from the Danube to the Sea of Azov, but from the end
o( the 18th century, following the victory of the Russian
Empire over the Ottomans, many of them were razed. Few
now remain intact to any degree, and Aqkerman is probably
the best preserved.
One of the most remarkable monuments of the Black Sea
region stands on a promontory lOkm inside the estuary of the
Dniester river, close to the Ukraine-Moldova border. In
Ottoman times the fortress of Aqkerman was one in a chain
of massive strongholds protectin~ the Black Sea and the
sultan's territory beyond from the predations of interlopers
from the north. In their heyday these strongholds stretched in
an arc from the Danube to the Sea of Azov, but from the end
o( the 18th century, following the victory of the Russian
Empire over the Ottomans, many of them were razed. Few
now remain intact to any degree, and Aqkerman is probably
the best preserved.
One of the most remarkable monuments of the Black Sea
region stands on a promontory lOkm inside the estuary of the
Dniester river, close to the Ukraine-Moldova border. In
Ottoman times the fortress of Aqkerman was one in a chain
of massive strongholds protectin~ the Black Sea and the
sultan's territory beyond from the predations of interlopers
from the north. In their heyday these strongholds stretched in
an arc from the Danube to the Sea of Azov, but from the end
o( the 18th century, following the victory of the Russian
Empire over the Ottomans, many of them were razed. Few
now remain intact to any degree, and Aqkerman is probably
the best preserved.
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ANATOLIAN ARCHAEOLOGY
BRITISH INSTITUTE AT ANKARA
RESEARCH REPORTS 2006
: Volume 12 (2006)
‘The British Academy Black Sea Initiative
‘Michael Vickers and
‘Amiran Kakhidze Pichvnari, Georgia 2006 2
Climate History of Anatolia and the Black Sea
Warren J. Eastwood Climate history, vegetation and landscape change in
northeast Tukey 3
Darrel Maddy and
‘Tuncor Demir Early Pleistocene environments in the Gediz river valley 6
‘The Frontiers of the Ottoman World
Caroline Finkel, Vitor Ostapchuik,
ij Svitlana Bilyayova Historica-archacological investigations in Agkerman
and James Mathieu fortress, Ukraine 2006 9
Sedtlement History of Anatolia
Douglas Baird ‘The Boncuklu project; the origins of sedentism, cultivation
and herding in central Anatolia 3
‘Stuart Campbell Domuztepe 2006 7
Hugh Elton Giksu Archaeological Project 2006 19
fan Hodder (Change and variation at Gatalhoyak 2
Urban Development of Anatotia
‘Thomas Corsten Kibyratis in antiquity 25
Jan Jenkins Return to Cnidus 26
} Chris Lightfoot and
ie Ivison Amorium 2006 2»
Geolrey and
Frangoise Summers The Kerkenes project in 2006 2
aited by Gina Coulthard
ISSN 1362-3867
Siti A Ah 2istorcab-archacologieal Investigations fn Agherman
fortress, Ukraine 2006
Catoline Fike, Viele Ospehuk, Sviana Bilayer and
Jes Mathie
ors natu ot Ankara and University of Toronto
‘One of the most remarkable monuments of the lack Sea
region stands ona promontory 10k inside te estar of the
Dniester iver, clase tothe Ukraine Moldova bore. in
‘wom times the Forres of Akerman was oe 2 chi
of massive stongholds prteting the Black Soa and the
sallans terry eyoad fom the predation of interiors
‘om the roth inter heyday these strongholds steed in
nae fom the Danube tthe Sea of Azo bt rom the
ofthe 18h cen, following the victory of the Ruslan
mpi over the Odomans, many of thom were reed. Few
ow remain otc to any degree, and Agkerman is probably
the est preserve,
“The ores sbi. top of ancien Tyas, a Greek colony
of Milt, Tera the locaton was in Roman Byzantine,
Rathoian an Genoese nds, toe binge fora etary
bythe pinay of Moldavia, a 1484, i wan conquered by
the san Bayeid and for mote than 300 years, ul tbe
ot
‘The northern lack Sin the early 18th century
seh f a
As
None
Black Sea
Rossians took i, Agherman was in Ovoman bands The
clremfreace ofthe Fontes ever 2k om Inward
sie itis sorounded by double walls and dich 13m dep.
Win the fortes, there is ital the noth tht all bt
cid bya encosre known a the ison yard. othe
south of this a larger enlace the il yard, and to
the west along the shor ofthe Dniester (he man theres
othe enclosure refed tothe pot Jad
This poet, supported in 2006-2007 forthe Hs tine by
‘the Beish Instat a Askar, i bot iterations (ith
patcpans from Canad, Turkey, Ulraive, UK and US) and
Iner-siscplinary, combining archaeological and isviat
‘eszarch The former inca both extn of sub-surface
remains an a survey ofthe Frues's sanding archiecure,
‘while te later employs dcament found primarily nthe
(Ottoman archives ntl well the ay ap ad
line of Aakerman tht kave come down ous,
‘The caret project isthe fst ne that due atenton
beng given tothe lng, Otoman oeepation ofthe st
Prevoas sts ofthe fortes ave ignored or delieatly
destoyed remain from these cei, 08 it his long bet
ened tht there were any sgaillent Otoman baiting
‘works at Aqherman. Hor example, the exciton of Ty,
ZLASAnatolian Archaeology
Walls the garrison yard and oad viewed from the nan
sible ouside the main gat ofthe fortes, removed the
Fem of liter eivilisos, while within the fortes the
‘once undulating ground srface adits wealth of archaea.
logical material yas levelled sometime aller sivey in
1955, Furtheamore, since then 2 programe of Tetra”
has grally been undraken, effectively remaking many
pars ofthe sie,
Yet despite, oF perhaps case of the unsstematie
nature of eater woek, moc retains be done. In
panicular, Ontoman docamentiry evince promises Io at
new dimensions o our understanding of Askerman res
Plan ofAgherman defensive complex, 1953. A= citadel,
‘orthern or parison yard; C= souhern ool yard; D
ort yank, 1-30 = towers ofthe fonvess (Slope 2001: 90)
The ach viewed rom the vii of the man gute
Fr example, these documents pecsly describe syecesive
‘onsrtion and rebuilding phases in reaction to both
perceived aod actual mila teas, Teor, an important
spect of ou investigation isto cance oa ndesaning of
‘Agiesna aa military fvieation per se, and wo compe a
losiry of Ottoman terminology used to denote the
constiven pars of such fotifentions. These ate very new
‘els of endeavour within Oxoman bisa ts,
Members of our eam have bec working at Aakerman
with inadequate funds, sine 1999, Thee excavations have
‘concen jn two ates of th port yt seco that
ame ino belag as resl of Oxon king activity inthe
1th century
The fist focus of excavation has ben understanding the
‘eliomhip of the “barbias™ (Le, the pjcting tower
foxmation on the shore) and ts eran walls to the angst
fonress of Agkermaa, Excwvaton aad sty ofthis prt of
‘he por ad is the responsibilty of SvitanaBiyayeva, who
‘worked on ite wi ee team fr 12 woe his season, Hee
labours have ssa in the revaling of the extent ofthe
Dubin and its eas, and died GPS survey ofthese
ws complied. Of particular nots, was he ication of