Research Article

The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara

Volume: 14 July 14, 2026
EN TR

The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara

Abstract

This article examines the Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman red slip ware assemblage recovered from the Hurmalık Bath (Northern Bath/Harbor Bath) at Patara, one of the principal urban centers of ancient Lykia in southwestern Anatolia. Constructed in the late first or early second century CE and intensively used throughout Late Antiquity, the bath complex yielded, during the 2005–2008 excavations, a substantial ceramic assemblage dating primarily from the fourth to the early seventh century CE. The study investigates imported red slip wares as archaeological evidence for Patara’s economic vitality and its integration into Mediterranean exchange networks. The assemblage is dominated by Late Roman D (LRD) ware, followed by Aegean Late Roman C (LRC) ware and African Red Slip Ware (ARSW). Within this repertoire, LRC Hayes Form 3 is particularly well represented, while the ARSW group comprises both widely distributed types and forms that are rarely attested outside the western Mediterranean. The chronological distribution indicates that imports increased from the second half of the fourth century CE, reached their peak during the late fifth and early sixth centuries CE, and gradually declined until disappearing in the early seventh century CE. The Hurmalık Bath assemblage thus provides the first concrete archaeological evidence for imported red slip wares at Patara and contributes to a broader understanding of Lykia’s role in Late Antique Mediterranean trade.

Keywords

Thanks

This work is a revised section of the author's PhD thesis (La céramique protobyzantine de Lycie: étude du mobilier des “bains portuaires” de Patara), which was defended at the Institute of Archaeology, Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne University in June 2017. I would like to extend my special thanks to Dr. Şevket Aktaş, the director of the Patara archaeological excavations, and express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. Fahri Işık and Prof. Dr. Havva İşkan Işık, who directed the excavations during my time on the team. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Feriştah Soykal Alanyalı, who directed the Hurmalık Hamam / Harbor Baths project between 2005-2008, and to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serap Akca, who took over the project from 2009 onwards.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Ceramics in Archeology

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

July 14, 2026

Submission Date

March 24, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 18, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 14

APA
Şen, D. (2026). The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara. Cedrus, 14, 147-184. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21248617
AMA
1.Şen D. The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara. Cedrus. 2026;14:147-184. doi:10.5281/zenodo.21248617
Chicago
Şen, Dilek. 2026. “The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara”. Cedrus 14 (July): 147-84. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21248617.
EndNote
Şen D (July 1, 2026) The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara. Cedrus 14 147–184.
IEEE
[1]D. Şen, “The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara”, Cedrus, vol. 14, pp. 147–184, July 2026, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.21248617.
ISNAD
Şen, Dilek. “The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara”. Cedrus 14 (July 1, 2026): 147-184. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21248617.
JAMA
1.Şen D. The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara. Cedrus. 2026;14:147–184.
MLA
Şen, Dilek. “The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara”. Cedrus, vol. 14, July 2026, pp. 147-84, doi:10.5281/zenodo.21248617.
Vancouver
1.Dilek Şen. The Late Roman–Early Eastern Roman Red Slip Ware Assemblage from the Hurmalık Bath at Patara. Cedrus. 2026 Jul. 1;14:147-84. doi:10.5281/zenodo.21248617

Our journal has decided to continue its publication under the Continuous Publication Model as of January 1, 2026. A maximum of 15 articles will be published in the relevant annual volume. As of October 2024, Cedrus accepts articles only in foreign languages.