The Zephyrion Peninsula in Halikarnassos

"The Zephyrion Peninsula in Halikarnassos" reports of the discoveries of the Turkish-Danish Investigations and Observations on the Zephyrion Peninsula in Halikarnassos during the period 1990-2024. The Zephyrion Peninsula with the impressive Castle of St. Peter is the most significant topographical feature in modern Bodrum. It was similarly a dominating element in the cityscape of ancient Halikarnassos, when it constituted the acropolis of the city with both the important Sanctuary of Apollo and the Palace of Maussollos. This publication discusses the ancient literary texts relating to this important place. It describes and analyzes a number of ancient inscriptions and architectural elements reused by the crusaders in the walls of the castle and concludes that the Zephyrion Peninsula apparently had two or three buildings of fine marble of the Doric and Ionic order at the time of Herodotos in the Early Classical period. Two small excavations took place in 1992-1993 and 2002-2004 and revealed substantial walls and foundations which can with great probability be interpreted as belonging to the Palace of Maussollos. The pottery finds from the excavations constitutes a valuable and complete sequence of pottery from the Mycenean Period in the Bronze age through Classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages until modern times.