The Byzantine settlements at Kadıkalesi/Anaia (Kuşadası) by the way of finds of pithoi

Kuşadası Kadıkalesi is built on a historic mound which has been used in the protohistoric era. During Byzantine era, especially in the Middle Ages, this place has been one of the important harbors and production centers of Western Anatolia. Anaia Excavation in Kuşadası Kadıkalesi, which continues from 2001 on, is directed by Prof. Dr. Zeynep Mercangöz. On the site, one can find a giant church which is dated as an Early Byzantine Period building, has been restored in Middle Byzantine Period and later collapsed. After the departure of the clergy which was housed there, Byzantine craftsmen have settled within the castle. Kadıkalesi has been a very important place for the production of Byzantine Period ceramics. People who existed here during active years of church, ceramic masters and people who lived their daily lives here have inhabited this place in different eras. They all have bequeathed their containers, daily usage pots and liturgical vessels to us. Our subject of work is only one part of this heritage; namely, the pithoi.There's a connection between the pithoi found and the architectural structures became apparent in Kuşadası Kadıkalesi excavations from 2001 to 2016. During this period, thirty eight pithoi have been recovered from different regions in situ in their entireties or nearly so. The studies only cover pithoi which are recovered in their entireties. There were some pithoi which were used as buried into the ground; the formal features of these pithoi are defined by the shape of their body. Body forms have been specified through the process of boring when necessary. After the drawings and volume calculations are finished, these pithoi have been categorized into five main types. After documents such as excavation reports are looked through, pithoi have been dated by taking similar specimen into account.