Archaeology Magazine - January/February 2012 - 10

FROM THE TRENCHES
vis,” says Waters. “But it’s not Clovis in the strict definition.” Critics slammed Waters on his dating method, optically stimuulated luminescence, which essenntially measures when crystals in n surrounding sediment, such as quartz, were last exposed to sunlight, as opposed to measuring the artifacts themselves. It’s as accurate as radiocarbon dating, but less precise, with greater margin for error. Waters also fielded criticism of the Manis mastodon analysis,
C Chert tools from Buttermilk Creek date to 15,500 years ago C an and some show evidence of bi bifacial technology.

with detr detractors pointing out that the D DNA analysis couldn’t confirm the bone projeccon tile came from a different animal, meaning a bone an fragment from the same f beast may have pierced b its own rib. Waters notes it that butcher marks on th the mastodon bones refute th

that interpretation. Adovasio explains that American archaeologists are behind their South American and European colleagues in accepting people prior to Clovis being in the Americas. He even points to Science—which he calls “the last bastion of conservatism in this arena”—publishing Waters’ reports as an indication of the tide turning. “Science,” he says, “is about changing your mind when confronted with alternative data that seems plausible,” he says. —NIKHIL SWAMINATHAN

Arykanda, in Lycia in southern Turkey, is an ancient city built on five large terraces that ascend a steep slope and overlook a magnificent valley. The city dates back to the seventh century B.C., but most of its remaining ruins date from between the fifth century B.C. and the Roman period, when the city enjoyed its greatest prosperity. After the city was severely damaged in an earthquake in the third century A.D., it was largely abandoned and left untouched for more than a thousand years. The level of preservation is incredible, according to Jennifer Tobin, an

archaeologist with the University of Illinois in Chicago. She compares Arykanda to the more famous ruins of Delphi in Greece—only bigger and without all the tourists. Tobin, a specialist in the archaeology of Turkey, was shocked when she first saw Arykanda. “When you see the site, you really feel like a nineteenth-century traveler who just happened upon the site for the first time,” she says. “It is a truly magical place.”
The site Arykanda’s wealth came from lumber—it was a source for much of the ancient world and was located

on a river, where the wood could be sailed down to the sea to be sold. Today, the ruins of the city climb steeply up the hillside, and visitors can ascend the original stairs. Near the entrance, visitors will see the “street of tombs,” a roadway lined with richly decorated monuments. On the terraces, among other structures, are seven bath complexes, an agora where the remains of shops can still be seen, a well-preserved theater, and an odeon where a frieze bearing a portrait of the emperor Hadrian was found. Above that is a stadium with tremendous views of the valley below. Free of crowds, it’s an excellent place for a picnic, says Tobin. While you are there When you’re done touring the site—you’ll need at least three hours to cover it completely, says Tobin—walk a little bit inland to see a cascading waterfall, one of the natural springs that used to supply the city’s water. There, local farmers and truckers mill about in the shade, enjoying ice cream, fruit, nuts, and beverages from concession stands. The locals will be thrilled to have you, says Tobin, and normally offer some of their food or drink. Arykanda is on the Finike-Elmali Road. Following its “Elmali” signs through the plain of Finike will bring you to the riverside Altintas restaurant for ﬁsh and grilled meat. If you plan to stay overnight, there are hotels in nearby Antaly, Kemar, or Kosh. —MALIN GRUNBERG BANYASZ

ARCHAEOLOGY • January/February 2012

Archaeology Magazine - January/February 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - January/February 2012