BY ANADOLU AGENCY

An altar site for the ancient Greek goddess Demeter was unearthed during the ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Blaundus, located within the borders of the western Anatolian city of Uşak.

Blaundus, also known as Blaundos, was first built by Macedonians who came to Anatolia, present-day Turkey, following the military campaign of Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great. The Romans later occupied the ruins of the ancient city.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Birol Can, an archaeology professor at Uşak University, said that the altar site was discovered in the courtyard of the temple of the goddess Demeter, which symbolizes agriculture, grain and harvest in mythology.

"It has at least two steps, measuring approximately 5 meters by 4 meters (16.4 feet by 13.1 feet)," Can said. "We do not have much data on its superstructure."

"Thanks to its foundations, we are able to deduce its plan. Again during the work, a piece of an altar table, which we think was located on this altar, was found," he added.

Altars, Can said, are one of the structures that people who come to the site for worshipping have direct contact with, adding that people who come here do not enter the temple but the courtyard.

"If they are going to sacrifice or make any offering, they do it in front of this altar. Therefore, the altar is a structure from the same period, the same age as the temple," he added.

The Temple of Demeter was highly respected at that time, Can said, and they plan to continue the work in the region next year and complete the restoration work.

He also said that the team discovered cisterns dating back to the Byzantine period during the excavations.