During the excavations carried out in the Ancient City of Ephesus this year, a sensational find was obtained: Archaeologists of the Austrian Academy of Sciences managed to unearth shops and a local neighborhood dating to the Early Byzantine Period. This is the most important discovery in the ancient city since the hillside houses, which are now one of the city's cult buildings, were found 50 years ago.

Archaeologists of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, during their excavations in Ephesus, discovered a local neighborhood and shops dating to the early Byzantine Period, perfectly preserved. The region apparently disappeared abruptly in 615 AD. A thick and dense layer of fire covered all the household items in the rooms so that they were all preserved for future generations. This made it possible for us to witness unique snapshots of the living environment of that moment.

Even though they are dated chronologically to different times, the context of these finds is comparable to the archaeological site of Pompeii.

The newly discovered site is located in Domitian Square, an important square immediately adjacent to the Upper Agora, the political center of the Roman city. Excavations at the site in 2022 are part of a major project aimed at investigating the changes that took place in the city between the Roman Imperial Period and Late Antiquity.