Sondages in the Fortified Carian Mountain Settlement of Melia in the Mycale (Dilek Dağları/Aydın)

Abstract

Four sondages undertaken in the fortified mountain settlement of Melia in 2009 confirmed that the settlement originated in the middle of the 7th century B.C. but was destroyed as early as 600/590 B.C. and abandoned. Its extensive fortifications were apparently begun at the end of the 7th century but never completed. The fortified area was ultimately limited to the two citadels in the north-east and south-west. After 570/560 B.C., the Archaic Panionion was erected amid the ruins on the earlier cult site of the Carian settlement, but was destroyed by fire c. 550 B.C. The mysterious ramp, meaningless in fortification terms, which leads from the Panionion up to the north-east citadel is perhaps to be explained by a never-realized plan to rebuild the Panionion on the north-east citadel. A road would be indispensable for the purpose of transporting architectural members to the north-east citadel. Further investigations at Melia would be desirable.