Roman-era wine traces found in Adıyaman

ADIYAMAN

Archaeologists have uncovered a sprawling Roman-era settlement linked to wine production, covering nearly 150 decares in the southeastern province of Adıyaman’s rural area of Gerger.

The discovery was made after teams from the Adıyaman Museum Directorate launched investigations in a mountainous area near Oymaklı village, where fragments believed to be ancient artifacts have been found.

During the survey, researchers identified numerous grape-processing installations, cisterns, millstones and architectural foundations dating back to the 4th century A.D.

The area is now set to be registered as a protected archaeological site with the Şanlıurfa Regional Directorate for the protection of Cultural Heritage.

Adıyaman Museum Director Mehmet Alkan said that the site’s proximity to Kahta castle suggests it once served as a residential and industrial zone. “Our examinations revealed multiple grape presses, cisterns and grinding stones dating back about 1,600 years,” he said.

“The presence of several wine presses indicates that this may have been a large-scale wine production site. The architectural form and building techniques clearly reflect the Roman period. Although much of what remains are the foundations, they demonstrate the scale and significance of the settlement. We expect further studies to reveal even more remarkable findings,” he added.