Karacasu
Encyclopedia
Karacasu is a town and a district of Aydın Province
in the Aegean region of Turkey
, 87 km (54 mi) from the city of Aydın
.
Formerly known as "Yenişehir", Karacasu is reached by turning off the Aydın
- Denizli
road south-east at Kuyucak
and following the Dandalaz River upstream into the hills. The road is windy and the surrounding countryside is planted with olives, citrus fruits and as you get higher up, pines.
The ruins of the ancient city of Aphrodisias
are located within the boundaries of Karacasu, near the small town of Geyre
. The area was first settled in the Bronze Age and reached its peak in the Roman and Byzantine eras as a centre of marble working. The ruins include a stadium, Temple of Aphrodite, theatre, agora and a bath with the heating system still visible. The city also contains the grave of archaeologist Kenan Erim
of New York University
who did so much to excavate the site.
The district is also notable for its rich emery
mines.
Karacasu itself is a small town of nearly 6,000 people, and is thought to be the site of the lost city of Gordiouteichos.
Aydin Province
Aydın Province is a province of southwestern Turkey, located in the Aegean Region. The provincial capital is the city of Aydın which has a population of approx. 150,000 . Other towns in the province include the summer seaside resorts of Didim and Kuşadası.-History:Aydın was founded by the ancient...
in the Aegean region of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, 87 km (54 mi) from the city of Aydın
Aydin
Aydın is a city in and the seat of Aydın Province in Turkey's Aegean Region. The city is located at the heart of the lower valley of Büyük Menderes River at a commanding position for the region extending from the uplands of the valley down to the seacoast...
.
Formerly known as "Yenişehir", Karacasu is reached by turning off the Aydın
Aydin
Aydın is a city in and the seat of Aydın Province in Turkey's Aegean Region. The city is located at the heart of the lower valley of Büyük Menderes River at a commanding position for the region extending from the uplands of the valley down to the seacoast...
- Denizli
Denizli
Denizli is a growing industrial city in the Southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in southwestern Turkey, in the country's Aegean Region.The city...
road south-east at Kuyucak
Kuyucak
Kuyucak is a town and a district of Aydın Province in the Aegean region of Turkey, from the city of Aydın on the E24 highway that connects İzmir and Denizli, east of İzmir. Kuyucak is near the larger town of Nazilli.-Geography:...
and following the Dandalaz River upstream into the hills. The road is windy and the surrounding countryside is planted with olives, citrus fruits and as you get higher up, pines.
The ruins of the ancient city of Aphrodisias
Aphrodisias
Aphrodisias was a small city in Caria, on the southwest coast of Asia Minor. Its site is located near the modern village of Geyre, Turkey, about 230 km from İzmir....
are located within the boundaries of Karacasu, near the small town of Geyre
Geyre
Geyre is the village in the province of Aydın, Turkey. It is a settlement which was developed among the ruins of the ancient city Aphrodisias.-History:...
. The area was first settled in the Bronze Age and reached its peak in the Roman and Byzantine eras as a centre of marble working. The ruins include a stadium, Temple of Aphrodite, theatre, agora and a bath with the heating system still visible. The city also contains the grave of archaeologist Kenan Erim
Kenan Erim
Kenan Tefvik Erim was a Turkish archaeologist who excavated from 1961 until his death at the site of Aphrodisias in Turkey.-Life:...
of New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
who did so much to excavate the site.
The district is also notable for its rich emery
Emery (mineral)
Emery is a very hard rock type used to make abrasive powder. It largely consists of the mineral corundum , mixed with other species such as the iron-bearing spinels hercynite and magnetite, and also rutile...
mines.
Karacasu itself is a small town of nearly 6,000 people, and is thought to be the site of the lost city of Gordiouteichos.