After surveying the Urla, Cesme and Seferihisar districts of the city of Izmir, experts discovered 35 ancient settlements, of which 16 were built in the late Neolithic period.
Prominent among these are the ruins of the temple of Aphrodite, which dates back to the 6th century BC.
According to archaeologist Elif Koparal – who led the excavation, Aphrodite is an ancient Greek goddess, a symbol of love, beauty and fertility. It was also one of the most revered goddesses at the time.
“This is an exciting and impressive discovery,” said Ms. Koparal.
The expert further noted that during the many years of excavating, local residents have helped her and her colleagues a lot in protecting valuable artifacts. This helps to prevent the artifacts from falling into the hands of smugglers and treasure hunters.