The place of Phaselis in the Mediterranean trade in the light of amphora finds

Phaselis is located within the borders of Kemer District of Antalya Province and on the west coast of Pamphylia Bay. According to the narrations of many ancient writers, Phaselis was founded in 691/690 BC under the leadership of the city of Rhodos, Lindos. The city, which is frequently mentioned in the ancient literature, especially in the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods, has the appearance of an important emporion center with its three harbors and lagoon. In Phaselis, archaeological data to support ancient sources is very limited due to the limited number of studies carried out in the city. In our study, which was initiated to eliminate this deficiency and to evaluate the subject from a versatile and holistic perspective, it was aimed to document and define Phaselis excavations, surface and underwater finds, and to date them by making typological and periodic classifications. In this context, commercial amphorae constitute the main material of the study in question. In the studies conducted on amphorae, it was determined that 54 different types of amphora forms belonged to 22 different origins of different cities and cultures of the Mediterranean, and they were also chronologically dated between the beginning of the 5th century BC and the 13th century AD. In addition to imported amphorae whose origin and form can be determined, Phaselis amphorae, which are determined to be local production and will be introduced to the literature for the first time with four main types and two different subforms, have also been obtained. The amphorae, which constitute the main material of the study, were examined in a holistic perspective with ancient sources and epigraphic data, and it is aimed to determine the relations of Phaselis, which came to the fore with its trade, commodity volume and merchants in ancient times, and whose reputation spread almost all over the Mediterranean, with neighboring regions and cultures. In conclusion, in the light of ancient sources and epigraphic data supporting the concrete archaeological material in our study, the role of Phaselis in the Mediterranean in the historical process, its production-distribution organization, activity, communication and interaction have been tried to be revealed.