DOI article:
Skoczylas, Janusz; Grala, Katarzyna: The ancient marble of Proconnesos
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41865#0211
209
Fig. 3. The location of the collections of ancient stone finds
around Saraylar
vite. The dark stripes are madę of minerals which are not transparent in a micro-
scope study. The marble may be easily polished, ground and smoothed.
In 1971, the construction of two breakwaters started in the west of Saraylar,
during which a necropolis was discovered in a valley and archeological investi-
gation of the ąuarries began. The necropolis is located between the village and
the valley, its area extending from the east to the west (fig. 4). Although the
investigation revealed no remnants of the Greek period, numerous objects from
the Roman and Byzantine periods were discovered [Asgari 1978, 467, 468]. App.
48 sarcophagi were unearthed in the necropolis, including ten preserved in situ.
These were family graves of poor people, each containing several skeletons. Ali
the sarcophagi had manufacturing defects, and apparently were rejected from
lots of products prepared for exportation. A morę thorough investigation exposed
seven sites where the prefatory cutting of stone was done in the ancient times.
During their stay on the island, the present authors managed to visit four of these
sites. Some marble items are exhibited in the collection at the necropolis, which
consists of 84 columns, capitals of columns, sarcophagi and sculptures preserved
at various stages of the work (figs. 3, 4, 5).
Fig. 3. The location of the collections of ancient stone finds
around Saraylar
vite. The dark stripes are madę of minerals which are not transparent in a micro-
scope study. The marble may be easily polished, ground and smoothed.
In 1971, the construction of two breakwaters started in the west of Saraylar,
during which a necropolis was discovered in a valley and archeological investi-
gation of the ąuarries began. The necropolis is located between the village and
the valley, its area extending from the east to the west (fig. 4). Although the
investigation revealed no remnants of the Greek period, numerous objects from
the Roman and Byzantine periods were discovered [Asgari 1978, 467, 468]. App.
48 sarcophagi were unearthed in the necropolis, including ten preserved in situ.
These were family graves of poor people, each containing several skeletons. Ali
the sarcophagi had manufacturing defects, and apparently were rejected from
lots of products prepared for exportation. A morę thorough investigation exposed
seven sites where the prefatory cutting of stone was done in the ancient times.
During their stay on the island, the present authors managed to visit four of these
sites. Some marble items are exhibited in the collection at the necropolis, which
consists of 84 columns, capitals of columns, sarcophagi and sculptures preserved
at various stages of the work (figs. 3, 4, 5).