The black figure pottery from Dynastic Mansion on the Tepecik Acropolis at Patara

The subject of this thesis is the black-figure Attica pottery which was found during the 2003-2009 excavations at Bey Konağı, a palace situated within the Acropolis of Tepecik in Patara. The research project focuses on the classification of the Bey Konağı black-figure ceramics, their chronological data, determination of their stylistic groups, their geographical locations in the Bey Konağı architecture and their trade distribution in Lykia.Bey Konağı is located at the top of the Acropolis of Tepecik which is north-east of the ancient port of Patara. The building consists of a storage room, two undefined locations identified as A and B, a wide terrace wall and a supplementary building. The architectural concept of the palace is divided into three phases which are dated between 700 and 350 B.C.The three hundred and forty-six fragments of pottery found within the palace which are the focus of this thesis belong to the ?B? section of 1st phase. The 1st phase refers to the historical period between 580 and 500 B.C. The pottery fragments that have been recuperated demonstrate a wide variety of forms such as the amphora, amphora cover, crater, olpe, lekythos, kylix, lekane-lekanis, and pyxis. These forms are commonly distributed between 575-490 B.C., however they are present in a greater intensity starting from around 550 to 500 B.C. During this ?B? phase there are six different artists and stylistic groups which correspond to the collection of pottery being researched.Sixty-six percent of the pottery shards were discovered in the supplementary building and the other thirty-three percent of them were found in the A and B locations, early terrace, late terrace and upper terrace. For the most part, the pottery fragments that were found in the supplementary building belong to a group of serving sets, therefore it seems possible to assert that the building could have been an andron.The results of this research demonstrate the possibility that Lykian black-figure pottery may present connections to the ancient cities of Xanthos and Patara. The ceramic-ware of Xanthos and Patara have similar chronological situations and stylistic attributes to those of the artifacts uncovered at Bey Konağı. Thus, it seems that trade of the ceramic-ware was carried out through the seaway. It is plausible to state that once the goods reached the port of Patara they were then brought into the inland parts of Anatolia. This fact proves another important aspect of the ancient city of Patara for the Lykia region.Bey Konağı is one of the buildings that will help to illuminate the early history of the region with its architecture and archaeological finds. The black-figure Attica pottery that is found in the ancient palace demonstrates the eighty year period during the one-hundred and eighty year lifespan of the building. The name itself of the building ?Bey Konağı?, which translates to Gentleman Palace, is supported by this black-figure pottery, as well as its location, architecture and rich findings.The main aim of creating this research project is not only to provide new information about the black-figure Attica pottery and the artists, but more importantly to explain the significance of this pottery group for the building, the ancient city and the region.