Türkiye restores 3,000-year-old temple in ancient Caria

Restoration work is underway at the 3,000-year-old Temple of Hecate in Lagina, an ancient religious site in Türkiye’s southwestern province of Mugla.

The temple, a centre of ancient pagan beliefs, is one of the most significant remnants of the ancient Caria region.

Professor Bilal Sogut, head of the Lagina Excavation Team, noted that the team works year-round, conducting excavation, restoration, and drawing activities at the site.

He highlighted that Lagina, one of the two religious centres of the ancient city of Stratonikeia, is significant due to the presence of a temple dedicated to the ancient goddess Hecate.

The temple is the largest known sacred area and temple dedicated to Hecate, an ancient pagan goddess associated with witchcraft, magic, and the moon.

Preserving an ancient treasure

Archaeologists are currently focused on re-erecting the upper structure of the columns that encircle the naos, the temple’s most sacred area.

They are conducting excavation, drawing work, and temporary anastylosis—reconstructing the temple’s upper structure from original blocks uncovered during excavation, without adding any new elements, according to Sogut.

He further noted that blocks from the temple, dating back 2,100 years, are being carefully repositioned in their original locations.

As restoration continues, the team is working on reassembling the naos and the columns surrounding it, known as the peristasis, to preserve this ancient cultural treasure for future generations.

Caria, the ancient region that was home to Lagina, is located in the southwestern part of Anatolia, modern-day Türkiye, along the Aegean coast. It was bordered by Lydia to the north, Lycia to the southeast, and Phrygia to the northeast.

The region included key cities such as Halicarnassus (modern-day Bodrum), Mylasa (Milas), and Alinda. Caria was known for its distinctive culture, blending Greek, Anatolian, and Persian influences.