Parion is located on the Anatolian side of the Propontis (Sea of Marmara) region, including the Biga Peninsula, in the west of Anatolian Turkey. Parion is situatedin Kemer Village, connected to the town of Balıklı Çeşme, in the Biga District of Çanakkale. Parion is located at Bodrum Burnu (Cape Bodrum). The city was founded at bothsides of a river where it empties into the sea and has a natural harbor, very much like other colonies established in the region during the 7th and 8th centuries BC. Although there is no definitive information about the foundation of Parion reports that the foundation of the city, which might be dated to 709 BC, might, amongst others, be related to the colonization by the city of Miletus, Erythrai, and Paros. In addition to these sources, Pausanias indicates that Parion was colonised by the city of Erythrai Modern research partially confirms the information provided by historical sources. Both modern and historical sources indicate that three cities may betaken as the founders of Parion: Erythrai, Paros, and Miletus.
There is a strong discussion about the role of Erythrai on the names of Oikists (= founders) and this discussion maystem from the fact that the names of some people came to light. Concludes that Paros was highly influential and likely to be the origin for the name of Parion. The city of Miletus was known as the founder of many colonies in the region. However, the only information on this issue is provided by ancient literary sources, as the excavation of Parion is currently in its initial stage, and no new archaeological evidence has yet been discovered.
In 2004, ground work started in the area of (what would become) the Sout Necropolis of the ancient city, in preparation of the construction of an elementary school, and subsequently graves and archaeological materials were uncovered. dating to Antiquity. Upon this development, rescue excavations were carried out in the area of the necropolis by the Archaeological Museum of Çanakkale in the same year. In 2005, however, systematic excavations were carried out in the ancient city for the first time by a team under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Cevat Başaran, who previously already had conducted archaeological surface research in the region between 1999 and 2002. Excavations have been continuing since 2015 under the director of Prof.Dr.Vedat KELEŞ.
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