In the ancient city of Aizanoi, located in Turkey’s Kutahya province, archaeologists have unearthed remnants of cosmetic products, which include jewelry items and makeup materials, dating back over 2,000 years, believed to have been used by Roman women. The team also discovered various inscriptions providing insights into the establishment and operation of ancient shops, shedding light on the city’s commercial and social structure.
The Roman Connection: Examining the Jewelry and Cosmetics
Gokhan Coskun, an archaeologist affiliated with Dumlupinar University and leading the excavation, revealed that a significant portion of their research efforts has been concentrated in the agora, the marketplace, situated to the east of the Temple of Zeus. Aizanoi is well-known for its exceptionally preserved Temple of Zeus in Anatolia, reports Daily Sabah . The excavations were conducted in partnership with the Kütahya Governorate and Dumlupınar University.
Coskun further explained that his team has successfully reached the ancient shops that have been buried for two millennia within the marketplace.
“We determined that the place we completely uncovered was a shop that sold cosmetic products such as perfumes, jewelry and makeup materials. During the excavation here, we encountered a large number of perfume bottles. In addition to these, there are jewelry items. Among these, there are various beads belonging to products such as hairpins and necklaces used by women,” he said, quoted by Anadolu…
