2,000-Year-Old Fountain In Kibyra, The City Of Gladiators Flows Again

Conny Waters - AncientPages.com - After four months of hard work, the restoration process of this ancient fountain is complete, and it will provide fresh water once again as it did 2,000 years ago.

Located in the ancient city of Kibyra in Gölhisar, Burdur, Turkey, the magnificent fountain will come back to life, and visitors will be able to reach the fountain by walking along a stone-step path.

The 2,000-year-old fountain in the city of Kibyra is active again. Credit: IHA Photo

The city of Kibyra, also known as the City of Gladiators, was an ancient Greek city famous for its blacksmithing, leather processing, horse breeding, and pottery production.

Archaeologists excavating in the area have made many impressive finds testifying to the artistic skill of the Cibyratae, as ancient authors referred to the city's inhabitants.

The 2,000-year-old Medusa mosaic is considered the pearl of the ancient city of Kibyra. "This artwork is covered by five different layers for nine months of the year to protect it from weather damage.

Credit: Daily Sabah

The mosaic was built of colored marbles with the opus sectile technique in which materials were cut and inlaid into walls or floors to make a picture or pattern, in the first phases of the first century A.D." ¹

The archeological discovery of statues of Serapis Sky God, and Asclepios God Of Medicine, are equally of historical importance and give insight into the beliefs of those who lived here long ago.

The Asclepios statue, which "represents fine workmanship was unearthed in seven pieces. The 38-centimeter (15-inch) artifact depicts a clothed Asclepios with long, curly locks and a beard.

'Asclepios, resting on his staff with a snake wrapped around it, holds an egg in his hand. There are very few depictions of Asclepios holding eggs, and the statue helps researchers further understand the attitude of the Kibyra people toward health and is also an important piece of archaeological history." 2

The restored 2,000-year-old fountain will increase the historical significance of the ancient city of Kibyra. The colossal fountain, which was built in 23 B.C., with a diameter of 15 meters (50 feet) and towering 8 meters high (over 26.2 feet), was used in Kibyra for some 600-700 years, Şükrü Özüdoğru, an archaeologist at Mehmet Akif Ersoy University and head of the ancient city’s dig team, told Anadolu Agency (AA).

Credit: Daily Sabah

"The restoration of the fountain with two pools, including over 150 original architectural fragments found among the ruins on the third terrace of the city and 24 imitation blocks produced from the original type of stone, was completed with contributions from the Burdur Governorship with an expert team of 17 people, including archaeologists, restorers and architects," the Daily Sabah reports.

Explaining that fresh drinkable water will again flow from the fountain through the work they have done, Özüdogru said Kibyra will be the second ancient city in Türkiye after Sagalassos to have a fountain with water flowing through it.

"We want to bring water from the ancient spring this May and restore the fountain to its original function,” he emphasized.

See also: More Archaeology News

"Just like in ancient times, water will flow into the pool from the mouths of the lion and panther statues in the lion's hide where the mythological hero Hercules laid down, and the panther's hide where the god of wine Dionysus lay down," he added.

Written by Conny Waters - AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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