The first week in Turkiye was an introduction to the ancient site and people. I learned that Gazipasa is like any other city; that Turks like any other group of people. However, this second week has revealed a new revaluation… the similarities between past and present. The world of ancient Rome and modern Turkiye are rich in story and lore. As my new unit (the best unit at our site) started to uncover what originally appeared as just a pile of dirt and rocks, we stumbled upon trinkets and things of Rome. The first was the many shards of pottery that once held goods. Other items included a lamp and coin. All of these are not foreign to the modern world, where coins fill our pockets and lamps light our large hallways. Considering this: The Roman state was lived by people not so different from us. They too used coins, lamps, and other goods in a similar fashion.
The revelation doesn’t end at the material. After excavating the site each day, we all slowly walk to the bus. During this walk it’s hard not to look back on the newly uncovered house. Each step back slowly uncovering a new profound truth; the land of Turkiye is also that of Rome. Even with two thousand years between us and the time of Augustus, Anatolia (the peninsula where most of Turkiye sits) hasn’t changed much. What an imperial soldier saw while walking through the tall and rolling hills is the same as me. While years seem long, I hope to not lose this connection to the past.
What was once a hill of stones and dirt is now a house exposed to the elements. Our hard work and determination paved the way for a week of celebration, triumph, and understanding.