16.08.2025 23:26
Archaeological research conducted at the ancient city of Sardis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has uncovered the remains of a Lydian palace dating back to the 8th century BC. Nine silver coins were found in the ancient city of Lydia, known as the place where money was first minted. These coins are believed to be among the oldest in the world.
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Located in the Salihli district of Manisa, known as the first place in history where money was minted under state guarantee, the archaeological excavation and restoration works that started about 120 years ago in Sardis, which served as the capital of the Lydia Kingdom, continue under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Nicholas Cahill from the University of Wisconsin, USA.
Sardis, whose history dates back to the 1200s BC, hosts numerous structures and artifacts that have survived from different civilizations.
ACCESS TO THE LYDIAN PALACE
Visitors to the ancient city have the opportunity to see the tumuli from the Lydian period, the Temple of Artemis from the polytheistic religions period, the largest synagogue recorded in antiquity, the church mentioned in the Gospel of John, and the remains of monumental baths and gymnasiums from the Roman period.
In the works carried out this year in Sardis, remains of a palace, luxurious houses, and terraces from the Lydian period were reached at a depth of approximately 8 meters.
THE WORLD'S OLDEST COINS FOUND AT THE CENTER OF MONEY
Prof. Dr. Cahill told AA correspondent that it is difficult to reach the Lydian period in the works in Sardis due to the layers of Persians, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods on top of the Lydian period.
Expressing that they have managed to reach the Lydian period by overcoming the layers of other civilizations with intense effort in the works located about 1 kilometer east of the gymnasium, Cahill stated, "At this level, approximately 30 bronze arrowheads, human skeletal fragments, and 9 silver coins were found. These coins were among the oldest known silver coins in the world. An earlier phase that can be dated to the early 6th century BC was revealed. In the third phase, a layer buried underground dating back to the 8th century BC was identified, and it was found that a palace was built in the same direction. There is a monumental structure with stone walls 1.5-2 meters wide and over 6 meters high." he said.
"LYDIANS ARE A CIVILIZATION OF ANATOLIA"
Cahill explained that the discovery of the palace is very important from a historical perspective, and he noted:
"This finding is significant because while Greek cities built only small houses in the 8th century, the Lydians began to construct monumental terraces and structures much earlier. This architecture may have been inspired by the monumental structures of the Phrygians in the 9th and 10th centuries BC. Historians thought that the Lydians were somewhat like the Greeks. They believed, 'They started urbanization in the 7th century BC, and before that, they lived in villages.' But now, with these new findings, we have learned that this is incorrect. Sardis became a large monumental city in the 8th century BC. They initiated the terrace system at that time. This shows that the Lydians looked eastward and became a true Anatolian civilization, not a Greek civilization."
Stating that they have completed the excavation works in the region this year, Cahill added that they have covered the Lydian Palace they found and its surrounding additions to protect them from damage due to rainfall, and they will continue their work in the region next season.
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