Kenan Tevfik Erim was a Turkish archaeologist and academic, born on February 13, 1929, in Istanbul and passed away on November 3, 1990. His name is closely associated with the Ancient City of Aphrodisias, located within the boundaries of Geyre Neighborhood in the Karacasu district of Aydın. Through the excavations he directed for nearly thirty years, Aphrodisias became recognized as one of the most important ancient cities not only in Türkiye but also in the international world of archaeology.

Erim’s scholarly legacy goes beyond excavating and uncovering an archaeological site. He was a pioneering figure who introduced the history, art, architecture, inscriptions, and sculptural tradition of Aphrodisias to the world, while bringing together academic circles, donors, and cultural institutions for the protection and promotion of the site.

Education and Academic Development

Kenan Tevfik Erim was born into a diplomatic family. Because of his father’s duties, he spent part of his childhood and youth abroad. He began his education in Switzerland and later continued his university studies in the United States.

Erim completed his undergraduate studies at New York University. He then received his master’s and doctoral degrees from Princeton University. This academic path allowed him to specialize in the ancient world, classical culture, archaeology, and art history. The institutions where he studied and the excavations he participated in formed the foundation of the scientific working system he would later establish at Aphrodisias.

During his years at Princeton, he took part in work related to the excavations at Morgantina in Sicily. This experience gave him important knowledge in field archaeology, excavation organization, documentation, and the holistic evaluation of ancient cities. These early experiences had a major influence on the long-term excavation approach he would later apply at Aphrodisias.

His Connection with Aphrodisias

Kenan Tevfik Erim’s interest in Aphrodisias deepened particularly through the city’s sculptural tradition and the exceptional quality of its marble art. The ancient city was a major center in the region of Caria, especially during the Roman period, known for the cult of Aphrodite, its marble quarries, and artistic production. However, by the mid-20th century, much of the city still remained underground, and many of its remains were intertwined with the old settlement of Geyre.

Erim’s first visits to Aphrodisias became a decisive turning point in his academic life. When he reached Geyre, he saw that the remains of the ancient city still existed side by side with village life. Columns, inscribed stones, architectural fragments, and ancient structures were scattered within the local living environment. This scene led Erim to form such a strong bond with Aphrodisias that he would dedicate his life to it.

In his view, Aphrodisias was not merely an archaeological site to be excavated. It was a unique research field for understanding the relationships between art, architecture, religion, politics, and daily life in the ancient world. For this reason, Erim studied Aphrodisias not only through its architectural remains but also through its sculptures, inscriptions, urban plan, public spaces, and production traditions.

The Beginning of the Modern Aphrodisias Excavations

The year 1961 marks a major turning point in the history of Aphrodisias excavations. That year, systematic and continuous excavations began under the auspices of New York University. Kenan Tevfik Erim became the founder and long-term director of this modern excavation program. The excavations were carried out with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and gradually became stronger through international academic collaborations.

Under Erim’s direction, the work focused on the central monuments of Aphrodisias. Structures such as the Temple of Aphrodite, the theater, agora areas, council house, baths, basilica, and Sebasteion were scientifically investigated, documented, and made largely visible during this period. These excavations clearly revealed that Aphrodisias was an exceptionally well-preserved ancient city.

Erim’s approach was not limited to excavation. He also worked intensively on the protection, documentation, scientific publication, museum display, and international promotion of the finds. For this reason, Aphrodisias began to transform from an excavation site into a modern center of research, conservation, and cultural heritage during his time.

His Contribution to the Global Recognition of Aphrodisias

One of Kenan Tevfik Erim’s greatest achievements was bringing Aphrodisias to global attention. Through academic publications, conferences, exhibitions, fundraising efforts, and international relations, he introduced the importance of the ancient city to wider audiences. As a result, Aphrodisias became not only a site known to archaeologists but also a major reference point in art history, classical archaeology, and cultural heritage studies.

The level that Aphrodisias reached in marble art during antiquity was one of the central subjects of Erim’s work. The statues, reliefs, portraits, and sarcophagi uncovered in the city demonstrated the strength of its sculptural tradition. These finds became essential evidence showing that Aphrodisias was an important center of artistic production during the Roman Imperial period.

Erim also played a major role in securing funding for the Aphrodisias excavations. He created circles of support in different countries, especially in the United States. Friends of Aphrodisias groups and foundation initiatives supported the continuity of the excavations, the conservation of finds, and the development of museum work. These efforts continue to have an impact on the protection and promotion of Aphrodisias today.

Geyre, the Museum, and Conservation Work

The modern research history of Aphrodisias is closely connected with the old settlement of Geyre. Old Geyre Village had long existed on and around the remains of the ancient city. As the excavations progressed, the need to protect the site and ensure settlement safety led to the gradual relocation of the village to its present location. This process was an important transformation both for the preservation of archaeological heritage and for the reorganization of local life.

Museum work at Aphrodisias also gained importance for the protection and display of the artifacts uncovered during the excavations. The Aphrodisias Museum became the main exhibition space for sculptures, reliefs, inscriptions, and architectural fragments from the ancient city. The museum is one of the most important institutions explaining the place of Aphrodisias in art history to visitors.

The Geyre Foundation and individuals and institutions supporting Aphrodisias have contributed to museum and conservation work in different periods. In particular, the Sevgi Gönül Hall, where the Sebasteion reliefs are displayed, is an important initiative that has helped present the artistic heritage of Aphrodisias more effectively.

Tetrapylon and Its Symbolic Importance

One of the most recognizable structures of Aphrodisias is the Tetrapylon. This monumental gateway has become one of the visual symbols of the ancient city. Kenan Tevfik Erim gave special importance to the restoration of the Tetrapylon. Raising the structure again was not only an architectural restoration but also a symbolic step in making Aphrodisias visible once more.

The restoration of the Tetrapylon required technical knowledge, teamwork, financial support, and long-term determination. The importance Erim attached to this structure shows that his connection with Aphrodisias was not only scientific but also deeply personal. With the re-erection of the Tetrapylon, the monumental identity of the ancient city became more impressive and understandable for visitors.

His Death and Grave at Aphrodisias

Kenan Tevfik Erim passed away on November 3, 1990. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried in the Ancient City of Aphrodisias, to which he had devoted many years of his life. His grave is located near the Tetrapylon. The burial of an excavation director in the ancient city to which he dedicated his life is regarded as a very special example in Türkiye and in the world of archaeology.

This choice shows how strong Erim’s bond with Aphrodisias was. He was not only an archaeologist who studied the ancient city scientifically, but also a cultural figure who devoted his life to its preservation, recognition, and transmission to future generations.

There are also elements in the Aphrodisias Museum that keep Erim’s memory alive. His personal belongings, photographs, and traces of his work in the city remind visitors of the modern excavation history of Aphrodisias.

Aphrodisias Excavations After Kenan Erim

After Kenan Tevfik Erim’s death, work at Aphrodisias continued without interruption. From 1991 onward, excavations and research were carried out under the direction of R. R. R. Smith. Today, the Aphrodisias project continues through international academic collaborations in excavation, documentation, conservation, publication, museum work, and scientific research.

The post-Erim period has not only involved new excavations. It has also included the conservation of previously uncovered monuments, a better understanding of the city plan, the publication of inscriptions, the evaluation of sculpture collections, and improvements to the visitor experience.

This continuity shows the strength of the scientific foundation established by Kenan Tevfik Erim. If Aphrodisias is still regarded today as one of the most important archaeological research sites in the world, Erim’s excavation tradition and institutional vision have played a major role in this achievement.

Legacy

Kenan Tevfik Erim’s legacy is not limited to the uncovering of Aphrodisias. He created an important model in Türkiye for conducting archaeological excavations at international standards, protecting ancient works in their original context, developing museum work together with excavation projects, and presenting cultural heritage to the world.

Today, when Aphrodisias is examined in the field of archaeology and cultural heritage, Erim’s work is regarded as a fundamental reference. The monuments and artifacts uncovered during his period were not only the subject of scholarly publications but also strengthened the cultural identity of Karacasu and Geyre.

The inscription of Aphrodisias on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017 is one of the most important developments showing the long-term impact of the scientific and conservation-oriented work that Erim began many years earlier. This status confirms the value of Aphrodisias for human history at an international level.

Conclusion

Kenan Tevfik Erim is one of the most important figures who enabled Aphrodisias to be recognized, excavated, protected, and introduced to the world in the modern sense. He completed his education in the United States, continued his academic career at New York University, and devoted much of his life to the Ancient City of Aphrodisias in the Karacasu district of Aydın.

Thanks to his work, Aphrodisias became one of the best-studied centers of the ancient world in terms of art, architecture, inscriptions, and urban life. Visitors to Aphrodisias today see not only the magnificent remains of the Roman period but also the traces of the life Kenan Tevfik Erim devoted to this city.

For this reason, the name of Kenan Tevfik Erim continues to live on in the stones of Aphrodisias, in its museum, in its excavation history, and in the cultural memory of Geyre.