excavations at Ephesus

Ephesus in ancient times

     A famous ancient ruined city in Turkey.

The Artemision

     From National Geographic Magazine, December 1908:

     "Today the site of the Temple of Diana, or Artemision, is nothing but a huge hole in the earth partly filled with water, which usually dries up in the summer time, but on account of the swamps all about, is considered to be a hotbed of fever. Remnants of broken pillars and blocks of marble which served as a firm basis for the temple may be seen projecting from the water. In 1870 Mr. J. T. Wood, after searching for seven years, discovered the whereabouts of the temple and made this excavation. The destruction of Diana's marvel have been exceptionally thorough. Throughout hundreds of years it was used as a marble quarry for adorning the mosques and public buildings of Constantinople and Ayasalouk."

     "The temple at Ephesus was one of the most remarkable structures ever reared by man. As an example of what an inexhaustible mine of treasure and relics the site of Ephesus is, I have but to state that in 1904 Mr. Hogarth, an English archaeologist, succeeded in making some new discoveries upon the site of the temple. Mr. Wood, in his statement, says that he went to such depth that he found the original charcoal which was placed in layers upon the natural soil as a foundation for the temple. Mr. Hogarth put up steam suction pumps in order to keep the shaft clear of water, and, piercing through this layer of charcoal, succeeded in finding the pavements of two former temples. At some considerable distance under the altar he unearthed a large stone box filled with gold coins and ivory figures dating from the time of Solomon."

     The temple of Artemis held the wooden statue of this goddess; it was said to have fallen from the sky. Each morning a curtain would be drawn that had hidden the goddess during the night, so she could see what gifts had been brought by her visitors. The temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The great temple was built by Croesus, king of Lydia, in about 550 BC and was rebuilt after being burned by a madman named Herostratus in 356 BC (he sought to gain immortal fame by destroying the temple -- his plan seems to have worked). The Artemision was famous not only for its great size (over 350 by 180 feet) but also for the magnificent works of art that adorned it. The temple was destroyed by invading Goths in AD 262 and was never rebuilt. Little remains of the temple (though there are many fragments, especially of sculptured columns, in the British Museum), but excavation has revealed traces of both Croesus' and the 4th-century temple and of three earlier, smaller ones."

     The Artemis worshiped at Ephesus was an older, more barbaric form of the goddess. The many breasts of the statue represented fertility, rather than virginity; and her cult in Ephesus (and elsewhere in Anatolia) had many connections to that of Cybele. Indeed a cave-shrine to Cybele is located nearby in the slopes of Mount Coelian.

Cybele

     The city of Ephesus was in fact dedicated to Cybele, and the city's ecstatic celebration, the Ephesia, honored her. Long before Greek or Roman culture came to Ephesus, the Phrygians worshiped the "Great Mother" and "Sabazion", the horseman sky-god. Cybele's other titles included "The Mother of the Gods, the Savior who Hears our Prayers", the "Mountain Mother", and as "The Mother of the Gods, the Accessible One"; to the Romans, she was the "Magna Mater".

     Cybele's most ecstatic followers were males who ritually castrated themselves, after which they were given women's clothing and assumed "female" identities. Her priestesses led the people in orgiastic ceremonies with wild music, drumming, dancing and drink. She was associated with the mystery religion concerning her son, Attis, who was castrated and resurrected. Other followers of Cybele expressed her ecstatic and orgiastic cult in music, especially drumming, clashing of shields and spears, dancing, singing and shouting.

     Mountains and caverns were holy to Cybele; her temples were underground, and her holy services took place at night.

Kusadasi

     The closest port or railway station to the ruins of Ephesus. Population, 6000 - mostly fishermen and their families. A small fortified island in the harbor, the "Island of Birds", gives its name to the town (ancient Neopolis). One hotel, the "Hotel Zeybek", plus various run-down cafes and rough local lodgings. Post office, police station, a bank, train station (the Smyrna Cassaba Railway connects the town to Izmir (90 km north) and then on to Ankara and beyond), no telephone system of any sort. Average daytime high in August, 97 F (varies from 77 F to 100 F). There are many historical sites near Kusadasi.