Ancient Market and Water System Unearthed in the Carian City of Hyllarima, Türkiye

Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Hyllarima in Muğla’s Kavaklıdere district have uncovered a series of well-preserved shop units and water channels in the city’s agora, revealing new insights into urban planning and daily life in inland Caria over two millennia ago.

Located in the Derebağ neighborhood, Hyllarima is among the oldest settlements of inland Caria, featuring architectural remains from the Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods. Excavations have been ongoing for four years under the direction of Prof. Dr. Bekir Özer, with support from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Kavaklıdere Municipality, and the Muğla Museum Directorate.

This year’s campaign focused on the agora, the city’s main civic and commercial hub. “The agora represents the very center of Hyllarima,” said Prof. Özer. “We have now identified at least seven shop structures carved into the bedrock, and possibly up to ten once ongoing excavations are complete. Behind the shops lies a monumental fountain, connected by streets and a colonnaded area forming the agora square.”

Finds from the site indicate that the agora was organized in the 3rd century BCE and remained in active use through the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. Excavations also revealed an elevated terrace and walking area, possibly serving as a viewing platform, and a network of water channels integrated with the city’s topography.

“This season, we encountered water systems in nearly every trench,” Özer explained. “The monumental fountain, designed in the form of a temple fountain, even bears inscriptions linking it to divine associations. The channels feeding the fountain and the terrace show how water was deliberately integrated into Hyllarima’s public and sacred architecture.”

When settlement on the main plateau ceased, life continued on a nearby hill during the Middle Ages, with the ancient water systems repurposed for agricultural irrigation. Despite centuries of erosion, the hydraulic infrastructure of Hyllarima remains remarkably preserved—an enduring testament to the city’s advanced engineering and civic planning.