The Ancient City of Sobesos in Cappadocia
The ancient city of Sobesos lies within the boundaries of the village of Şahinefendi. The village of Şahinefendi is located 23 kilometres from the town centre of Ürgüp. Şahinefendi is known as a very old village, built on volcanic terrain. Around this village, a number of ruins were noticed purely by chance. When these remains were examined, it became clear that the site was an ancient city. The ancient city of Sobesos in Cappadocia is a settlement dating back to the 6th century, where excavation work is still ongoing. When the site was first discovered, it was believed to be the capital of the Kingdom of Cappadocia. As no scientific evidence was later found to support this, the idea was abandoned. Very significant progress has been made in the excavations, which began in 2002. The name of the ancient city of Sobesos comes from the city known as Swassa during the Roman and Byzantine periods.
Excavations at the Ancient City of Sobesos
As we mentioned above, excavation work was started in 2002 by the Nevşehir Museum Directorate. The excavations came to an end in 2005. Over this three-year period, important sections of the ancient city of Sobesos in Cappadocia were brought to light. The ancient city has not yet been fully uncovered. For this reason, further excavation campaigns are organised from time to time as part of archaeological projects.
Among the artefacts unearthed during the excavations, the mosaics with a history of 1,500 years attract particular attention. The swastika, cross and meander motifs on these mosaics are especially distinctive. In addition, the excavations revealed a 400 m² assembly hall with columns, decorated with mosaics. During the digs, a burial chamber was discovered containing the body of a man buried in a shroud. A bathhouse and a chapel dated to the 6th century were also brought to light as a result of the excavations. All of these finds are open to guests who come to visit the ancient city of Sobesos in Cappadocia.
Furthermore, the information panel at the entrance to the ancient city states: “Ancient sources indicate that Sobesos was located between Tomissos (the village of Taşkınpaşa) and Soandos (the village of Soğanlı).” On closer examination, the place in question pointed to the area around the village of Şahinefendi. However, the fact that research carried out in this village turned up no trace, remains or artefacts from the Roman period raised a number of question marks. As a result, researchers were unable to reach a consensus on the location of the ancient city of Sobesos.
Interestingly enough, the matter was finally clarified in 2002 thanks to people carrying out unauthorised digs. Situated at the starting point of the Soğanlı Valley, Sobesos was founded on land that was extremely secure and fertile from a strategic point of view.
Even today, the boundaries of the city have not been fully mapped out. Nevertheless, the city’s baths, and even the squares marking the city centre, have been uncovered through the excavations.
How Can You Visit the Ancient City of Sobesos in Cappadocia?
Within Cappadocia there are organised red zone tours, green zone tours and blue zone tours. While you are in Cappadocia, in addition to the alternative experiences on offer, I can definitely recommend joining these tours. The ancient city of Sobesos in Cappadocia, which I have covered in this article, is included in the route of the blue zone tour. When choosing this kind of tour service, the experience of your agency is important. For this reason, I would also recommend booking this service through MDC Hotel, a wonderful hotel.
