Do you know that “photos” changed the destiny of Aphrodisias, inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List last year and named after the goddess Aphrodite? When the famous photographer Ara Güler, who was lost on his way to follow the inauguration of the dam with the participation of Adnan Menderes in 1958, heard Aphrodisias screaming “save me”, the destiny of the antique city changed.

AT UNESCO’S 41st World Heritage Committee Meeting held in Krakow, Poland in summer 2017, the archeological site of Aphrodisias was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Thus, Turkey has now 17 assets on the World Heritage List. The settlement in the region where the splendid antique city of the Ancient Greek and Roman era is located, dates back to the late Neolithic age. The city gained more importance as a holy location as the Roman dominance grew stronger and it was named Aphrodisias. The script on the wall of the theatre’s stage discovered during the excavations, talks about a golden statue of Eros offered by Cesar to Aphrodisias. This information hints about a likely visit of Caesar to the city.

Following the division of Rome, first Rome and then Byzantium took hold of the destiny of the city. During the spread of the Christianity in the 4th century, a diocese was established here but this new establishment couldn’t eradicate the pagan culture having far ancient origins. Therefore, the words of Aphrodisias and resident of Aphrodisias have been systematically deleted in time from the scriptures. And even during the 7th century, the city was named “Stravpoli” (City of Cross). Nevertheless, the name of Aphrodisias didn’t definitely disappear. It was called Kayra during the Byzantine era. Today, the name Geyre is supposed to derive from Kayra.

ARA GÜLER LOST HIS WAY, THE DESTINY OF APHRODISIAS CHANGED

On the other hand, a curious coincidence put Aphrodisias again on the agenda in the world and in Turkey. In 1958, the famous photographer Ara Güler who traveled to the region to follow the inauguration of a dam lost his way, something which helped Aphrodisias to make its scream heard by the world. In an interview, Ara Güler talks about how he found himself in Aphrodisias: “It was in 1958. The last times of Adnan Menderes. I went to the Mayor of Aydın; ‘A dam is inaugurated by Adnan Menderes. Send me there, I will take photos during the inauguration’ I said. The driver told me that he knows a short cut, so we can drive by there. However, we lost our way while going through the short cut. The sun went down and we were plunged in pitch darkness. We drove further but each time we fall upon the same rocky area. Suddenly, we noticed a light. It was a coffeehouse… So, we entered; people were playing game.

A pressure lamp was illuminating the place. My eyes got used to dark somewhat later and I suddenly noticed that there is not table at the coffee house. People serve the column heads as table and they play dominoes on them. History and present were intermingled with one another. I never saw such a strange place in my place. Ruins are ruins. But here it was not the case, it was something completely different. This town was living into the history… I saw that faces were looking at me among these stones. Suddenly, the title of the interview came into my mind; the scream of Aphrodisias… Those stones were looking at me and screaming “save me from here!”

Unfortunately, the photos taken by Güler acting upon these screams, didn’t raise enough interest in Turkey. Therefore, Güler sent these photos to Times. The publication of these photos in Times spurred interest and thus, the destiny of Aphrodisias changed. The archaeologists coming from US and making researches in Geyre realized that here stands the antique city of Aphrodisias with a history dating back to 500 BC and named after the goddess Aphrodite. Prof. Dr. Kenan T. Erim visiting the area and amazed by city began the excavation works at the site in 1961. The village was evacuated and the area was put under preservation. Aphrodisias, put on the World Heritage Temporary List since the year 2009, had finally the place it deserves on the world heritage list, this year. Aphrodisias, famous with the temple of Aphrodite, witnessed many critical developments at that time, something which further enhances its importance.

WE HAVE 17 ASSETS ON THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST

• Historical Places of Istanbul (Istanbul-1985)

• National Park of Göreme and Cappadocia (Nevşehir, Kayseri-1985)

• Divriği Ulu Mosque and Darüşşifa (Hospital) (Sivas-1985)

• Hattusha: The Hittite Capital (Çorum-1986)

• Nemrut Mountain (Adıyaman-1987)

• Xanthos-Letoon (Antalya, Muğla -1988),

• The City of Safranbolu (Karabük-1994)

• The Archaeological Site of Troy (Çanakkale-1998)

• Selimiye Mosque and Külliye (social complex) (Edirne-2011)

• The Neolithic City of Çatalhöyük (Konya-2012)

• Bursa and Cumalıkızık: Birth of the Ottoman Empire (Bursa-2014)

• The Multilayer Landscape of Pergamon (Izmir-2014),

• Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens (Diyarbakır-2015)

• Ephesus (Izmir-2015)

• The Archaeological Site of Ani (Kars-2016)

• The Archaeological Site of Aphrodisias (2017)