Lecture: The Many Faces of Ephesus

On Monday, October 15, Austrian Scientist of the Year 2011, Professor Sabine Ladstaetter, visited the Embassy to share insights into "The Many Faces of Ephesus – On Excavating Archaeological Treasures and Educating Tourists" with the audience.

Ephesus is one of the oldest cities of antiquity in Asia Minor and is counted among the largest metropolises of the ancient world. Traces of inhabitation can be detected as far back as the 7th millennium B.C., dating back to the epoch when humans first began a settled existence.

Thanks to a permit from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Turkey, the Austrian Archaeological Institute has carried out research at Ephesus for more than 116 years, turning it into one of the world’s largest archaeological enterprises. Sabine Ladstätter discussed how this modern excavation enterprise employs increasingly nondestructive methods such as geophysical surveys, deep drilling, and surface surveys.