11. Araştırma Sonuçları Toplantısı - Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı

BALBOURA RESEARCH PROJECT 1992John James COULTON*One of the aims of the Balboura research project has been to investigatethe economic basis which allowed even a small city like Balboura toflourish at an altitude of some 1500 m above sea leveL. Our work has alreadyrevealed something of the pattem of estates and villages whichgrew up in the area, and also the widespread existence of wine presses,which tell us of one major crop grown. But it was always clear that a betterunderstanding of these aspects would require the co-operation of geographersand palaeobotanists. In 1992 this co-operation became possible,and our fieldwork consisted of three elements: the collection ofsediment samples from lakes in the area to provide evidence of the ancientelimate and vegetation; the investigation of traditional farmingpractices to gain some idea of possible crop yields and the populationwhich this highland territory might support; and of course a continuationof our search for ancient sites of all kinds and periods within the westempart of Balboura's territory.The season lasted for about five weeks, and would not have beenpossible without the permission kindly granted by the General Directorateof Monuments and Museums in Ankara and the generous financialsupport of the British Academy, the British Intitute of Archaeology atAnkara, and the University of Oxford Crayen Committe. Bay MenderesAlan of Samsun Museum represented the Turkish Ministry of Culture,and gaye us his energetic help and friendship throughout the season. Weare also grateful to the kaymakams of AltınyJ!Yla and Fethiy_~,_bLthe_dL-i-__-­rectors ana staff of Burdur and Fethiye museums, and to the local jandarmacommanders for their support and assistance.The palaeobotanical study of lake sediments, organised by Dr NeilRoberts of the University of Loughborough, began at Yazır Göl in the vi-* Dr John James COULTON, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford OXI 2PH, İNGİLTERE.429