Excavations at the Board Castle Entered Its 13th Year

The work that started in 2010 at the Board Castle, which has the title of being the first scientific archaeological excavation of the Eastern Black Sea Region, has entered its 13th year. With the support of Ordu Metropolitan Municipality, the ancient period of the region is brought to light in the excavations at the Board Castle, where the 6-year-old Mother Goddess Cybele Statue from the 2th Mithridatic period and approximately 100 pieces of historical artifacts are found.

The excavations were carried out by Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University Faculty of Letters, Archeology Department Lecturer Prof. Dr. Suleyman Yücel Şenyurt is continuing with a team of 4 people, including 1 archaeologists and 23 restorer. Şenyurt stated that they will continue their excavations until December this year, depending on the climatic conditions, in the castle, where thousands of artifacts such as iron, ceramics, bowls, pots, spears and arrowheads, axes, daggers, weapons, ornaments, blacksmith's anvil and cubes were unearthed, as well as sculptures. told.

“THE 5 OUT OF THE CASTLE HAS BEEN RELEASED”

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University Faculty of Letters, Archeology Department Lecturer Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yücel Şenyurt said that the Board Castle is the only place in the Eastern Black Sea Region, after Sümela, whose architectural visual is so obvious.

Şenyurt continued his words as follows:

“The Ordu Council Castle Excavations, which started in 2010, are completing its 13th year this year. In fact, it was revealed during these excavations that the region with natural beauty, known as the Board Rocks, is a cultural treasure. By this year, our guess is that three-fifths of it has been unearthed and our excavations are continuing. We can say that it is the only place in the Eastern Black Sea Region, after Sümela, whose architectural visual is so obvious. The Kale Kent settlement, which was given in a holistic plan, was unearthed here. We have been working on conservation and restoration for 2 years. While the excavations continue, we continue to work on the restoration of the overturned walls and the restoration of small artifacts. We plan to continue the work we started 2 months ago until December.”

“A Fortress USED FOR DEFENSE”

prof. Dr. Süleyman Yücel Şenyurt said that the artifacts unearthed since 2010 were found in the place where they were last used.

Şenyurt continued his speech as follows:

“A lot of works have appeared since 2010. Beyond the architectural remains, this place was abandoned after the Roman invasion. We have all kinds of finds, such as cubes, ceramics, metal, glass. A city that lived 2100 years ago is suddenly destroyed and remained as it is. Since there is no settlement later, we can find the items in the places where they were last used. Weapons, cannonballs, spears, daggers, we have too many examples. The Cybele statue we found in 2016 was also found by chance. The point where the statue was located was the gate entrance point, it was buried under the rubble, so we found the statue and many items in place. There are about 60 cubes. This is a storage area. The castle's storehouse. During the war, people were able to manage with these supplies until the auxiliary forces arrived. But because the Roman army was too strong, the castle was destroyed by burning in 63 BC. This is a defensive point. A spot where you can watch from all sides. For this reason, the castle function comes to the fore. It was also used for religious purposes, as it was thought to be close to the gods due to its height.”

“A MUSEUM OF ARCHEOLOGY IS NEEDED FOR CIBELE TO COME TO ORDU”

Noting that the statue of Cybele sitting on her throne in 2016 is an important find for Ordu, Şenyurt stated that an archeology museum is needed to bring the statue, whose conservation has been completed, to Ordu.

Şenyurt continued his words as follows:

“The discovery of Cybele was a great chance and a sensational event. Archeology has been a very important find for both our country and Ordu. It is a very ostentatious work sitting on its throne with the combination of several pieces of marble. Beyond its joining, the parts that had been softened by the fire began to dust. It was put through a long conservation phase to fix it, and these studies were carried out at the Istanbul Archeology Museum. Its restoration was completed 6 months ago. Cybele is waiting to come to Ordu. There is an urgent need for an archeology museum in Ordu. Our current museum Ethnography is not suitable for both storing and displaying the unearthed artifacts. I hope Cybele will be instrumental in this and an archeology museum will be brought to Ordu. A museum is waiting to be assembled on site.”

2 HISTORICAL ARTICLES HAVE BEEN RELEASED SO FAR

The archaeological data unearthed during the excavations supported by Ordu Metropolitan Municipality made the region an important center of attraction.

The most important historical artifacts during the excavations were the 'Mother Goddess Cybele' statue, weighing 200 kilograms and 1 meter tall, sitting on her throne, and the statue of 'The Gods of Fertility Dionyss and Pan', and the 'Riton', an animal-shaped religious vessel. During the excavations at the castle, which is a first degree archaeological site, approximately 2 thousand pieces of historical artifacts and 100-step corridor stairs, terracotta roof tiles and masonry ceramic fragments belonging to the period before Christ were found.

VI in the Hellenistic period. The Council Castle, one of Mithradates' castles, will continue to shed light on the religious beliefs and cult practices of the period, beyond its military identity.