Archaeologists excavating the ancient Greek city of Aigai in western Turkey have unearthed a remarkably preserved 2,200-year-old sundial that offers unprecedented insights into Hellenistic timekeeping and maritime culture. The extraordinary artifact, discovered in the city’s Bouleuterion (council hall), represents one of only two known examples of its kind, with its counterpart found on the Greek island of Delos. This rare find illuminates the sophisticated scientific knowledge and artistic craftsmanship that characterized ancient Greek civilization during the Hellenistic period.
Located in the Yunusemre district of Manisa province, Aigai was founded by Aeolian Greeks in the eighth century BC and flourished for nearly 2,700 years, explains the Greek Reporter. The city, one of twelve Aeolian settlements in western Anatolia, rose on the challenging slopes of the Yuntdağ region where harsh geography demanded both ingenuity and divine protection from its inhabitants.
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