"Artifacts connected to the cult of Asclepius have been unearthed at the Roman pool in Bahceli, southern central Turkey. Built in the 2nd century A.D., the pool was previously believed to have been a reservoir, part of the ancient city of Tyana's drinking water system. This year's excavation revealed evidence that it was also a center of healing and religious devotion."
"According to [excavation leader Professor Osman Doganay of Aksaray University's Archaeology Department], one of the most significant discoveries was an altar dedicated to Asklepios, recognized in antiquity as the god of medicine and therapy. The altar, decorated with snake motifssymbolic of rejuvenation and healing in ancient medical cultswas found alongside additional sculptural fragments featuring snake imagery. These finds, coupled with the architectural remains uncovered along the pool's eastern side, indicate the presence of a sanctuary or temple complex dedicated to Asklepios."
Excavation at a 2nd-century A.D. Roman pool in Bahceli, southern central Turkey uncovered artifacts tied to the cult of Asclepius, revealing a healing and religious function in addition to water storage. An altar dedicated to Asklepios and sculptural fragments decorated with snake motifs were found, alongside architectural remains on the pool's eastern side suggesting a sanctuary or temple complex. The site hosted healing rituals involving sacred water, functioning as a therapeutic destination. Tyana predates Rome, appearing in 17th-century B.C. Hittite texts, later serving as a Luwian Neo-Hittite capital and enduring under Neo-Assyrian, Achaemenid, Hellenistic, and Roman rule.
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