The 2027 South African Archaeological Society’s international tour will head to Türkiye once again. The archaeology and antiquities to be found in this country are amazing. Previously, in 2016, we travelled from Konya in the south all the way east along the Syrian border to Kars in the northwest, while in 2022 we toured central Anatolia, Türkiye’s Black Sea coast and Georgia. This time, in spring, we will visit another important region: the Aegean coast from Istanbul to Ephesus, an area of great Hellenistic, Roman and Turkish importance. After a Bosporus cruise and a tour of the 700 000 m2 Topkapi Palace (1478) in Istanbul, we will cross the Dardanelles Straight to famous Troy (3600 BC to 500 AD) and continue to Pergamon (800 BC to 14th century AD); Selcuk – ancient Ephesus; Ephesus (10th century BC to 263 AD) and Aphrodisias (3rd century BC to 7th Century AD).

But the tour will not only cover the Aegean. After seeing Laodicea on the Lycus and Hierapolis in Pamukkale, Burdur and Sagalassos, we will turn east and travel through the lake district along the Taurus Mountains to Konya, Cappadocia, Gaziantep and Sanliurfa. On the way we will visit ancient archaeological sites such as Çatalhöyük – one of earliest villages in the world (6300-5500 BC; Aşıklı Höyük (8200-7400 BC); the Göreme Open-air Museum; the huge underground city of Derinkuyu; Eski Gümüşler  Monastery; the Neo-Hittite capital of Tuwana; Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-air Museum (8th century BC); the fabulous Zeugma Mosaics Museum; the 2nd to 3rd century city of Zeugma on the Euphrates River; Carchemish on the frontier between Turkey and Syria where Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, defeated Necho, king of Egypt in 605 BC; the Sanliurfa Archaeological Museum – Türkiye’s largest with a breathtaking display of objects from Göbeklitepe. In 2016, this 11 500-year-old hunter-gather-built spiritual complex comprised one astounding site; today 12 such sites are being excavated, three of whom we will visit. This will be a true highlight.

This stunning tour covers a period of civilisation from 9 500 BC to the 15th century AD and provides a true weep through the fascinating history of what we know today as Türkiye.

Tour manager: Reinoud Boers +27 82 566 6295

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Introductory Letter from Reinoud
Tour Programme
Booking Form