Antalya, Turkey

We spent a long, hot,  amazing day touring with a new wonderful guide, Cengiz.  We drove about an Hour  to reach the amazing ruins of Perge.  These are the ancient remains of a Roman city that has been being  excavated since the beginning of 1946. Historians believe Perge was founded at the end of the Trojan Wars in 1275 B.C. .  However,there has recently been a Hittite Tablet discovered that leads some historians  to believe Perge was founded before the Trojan Wars.  The city has many magnificent sculptures that have survived.  Some are on loan to other museums, but we were able to see a great many of the Perge sculptures in the Antalya Museum..  The ancient ruins of Perge are extensive and impressive.  They had aqueducts for transporting water, and they even had Roman Baths set up with steam and hot water delivered through a series of pipes..  The city's development spanned several hundred years.  Alexander the Great was a conqueror in 333 BC.  Perge went through three distinct periods-- Helleniistic, the Roman Empire in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and the last being a Christian period during the 5th and 6th centuries AD..  We were also treated to the amazing Roman Age Theater--- amazingly well preserved.  In fact, it is so well preserved that they frequently hold plays and operas there today.. Our guide actually went to an Opera here for his birthday a few years ago.  The acoustics are absolutely amazing!  You hear extremely well from the top most seats!

It was very hot today and humid... Around 92 degrees!  Big time water day!  Duffy did well, though we did not have her walk the ruins of Perge...she did see the theater and the aqueduct and the museum...i

It seems a very short blog for all the walking we did today, but I think I will let the photos tell the rest of the story...

The aqueduct...

The amazingly well preserved, still operational, theater...

Pieces of the sculpture were removed.  This was in the theater.

Sort of looks like a guy wearing a top hat!

Chariot races held in this arena...earthquakes have taken their toll.

An old man and an old woman looking at each other?!  Lol!  

The vast size of Perge cannot be captured in a single photo..

Three differnt periods of architecture influenced the construction of these columns in Perge..

A yummy Turkish lunch with kebabs!!!

Examples of the sculptures removed from Perge to the Museum..

Finely sculptured sarcophagus for a wealthy man...

Top of sarcophagus...

This is the front side of a sarcophagus.  The next two photos show the side and back of the same sarcophagus.  It was clearly not completed, whether the man who commissioned it ran out of money? No one knows.  

Not nearly as refined and polished.  The hole wa made by looters. 

The backside .....

Money found around a "banking sight" in Perge. 

Talk about uncomfortable shoes!!!