ROLE OF TECTONIC FORCES on THE DEMISE OF THE ANCIENT SETTLEMENTS OF WESTERN ANATOLIA AS EXEMPLIFIED FROM PIRIENE AND TROIA

Western Anatolia is one of the fast extending continental regions of the world. The N-S extension has produced a number of E-W tending grabens intervened by thin and long horst block, bounded by listric normal faults. Due to the on going extension the grabens are widening at a rate of about 2cm/y while the horsts are elevated about 4mm/y. The horst blocks provide erosionally induced alluvial fans depositing in front of the steep faults. They form natural zones for hot and cold ground water springs and rich surface water. Such development has produced agreeable morphology, rich soil, extensive vegetation under the Mediterranean climate and therefore favorable environments for settlements for thousands of years along and across the Aegean coastal region.

However the graben bounding faults are also known to have generated devastating earthquakes at some intervals, and have destroyed the settlements many times in the past. Their traces may well be observed presently in some ancient cities such as Piriene and Troia. The E-W graben depressions are presently occupied by the major rivers such as Buyuk Menderes (Meandros) and Gediz (Hermos) draining the inland to the Aegean coastal zone. As a consequence, the sea retreats constantly. As a result of this event the well known coastal cities such as Troia, Ephesus, Miletus and many more have been left several miles inland today, and thus they have lost their initial identities.

In this paper the relationship between the morphotectonic development of western Anatolia and its role on the demise of ancient settlement will be discussed as exemplified from Troia, Piriene and some others.