relief, oil lamps and many other smaller objects of glass, metal, 
ceramic and earth, all transferred to the storage in Zeugma 
excavation center. 
Under the Conservation Program prepared by the "Centro di 
Conzervazione Archaeologia" (CCA), having a high level of 
expertise in conservation work, frescoes, mosaics and remains 
that could not be moved were made subject to in-situ 
conservation. This work includes the cleaning of frescoes and 
mosaics at their original locations and then their covering with 
"limestone mortar" so as to minimize the effect of water. 
To develop a strategy for the Zeugma urgent excavation and 
rescue work launched under the coordination of the GAP 
Administration, examinations and observations were conducted 
at the site in May 2000 with the participation of staff from the 
GAP Administration, Turkish and foreign scientists, experts 
from Gaziantep Museum, Director of Cultural Affairs in 
Gaziantep and representatives of Birecik A.S. The antic city 
was divided into three zones as A, B and C as a result of these 
examinations and observations. 
Zone A: This area is under water since June 2000. The Ministry 
of Culture had conducted archeological excavations and 
documentation work in the area for the last 9 years. In this 
region, which now remains under 372 meters as the altitude of 
the dam lake, rescue work continued until inundation. 
Zone B: This zone covers the area under 385 meters as the 
highest level for the dam lake where urgent excavation and 
rescue work was materialized in October 2000. 
Zone C: This is the area that is not affected by the dam lake but 
covers the main part of the antic city (about 70 percent of the 
city). The target is to carry out long term and full coverage work 
in this zone under the light of earlier work conducted in Zone B. 
First observations in the area yielded some natural topographic 
zones. Consequently, the Zone B, which extends for about 1 km 
was divided into different topographical parts and 
archaeological works were given start in 19 excavation points 
expected to yield important data about the structure of the city. 
In another part of the evaluation phase, a geophysical surveying 
was conducted by using ground penetrating radar (GPR) 
techniques. This surveying, not exerting any harm on possible 
remains under the ground, helped excavation work in directing 
it to some special points and locations. 
Following these earlier evaluations at the excavation site, there 
was an urgent excavation and rescue work of international 
character racing against time to be completed in 4 October 
2000. There were 250 manual workers and over 100 
archeologists and conservation experts taking part in this work. 
Urgent excavation and rescue work unearthed many properties 
including houses, shops, workshops, religious quarters dating 
back to the early years of Christianity, remains of a temple, 
paths and waste water discharge canals. Other items found 
include decorative window cases, figurines, glass objects, 
bronze statues, innumerable coin, helmets, iron spears and 
knives, golden rings, leaves made of gold, golden fibula, bulla, 
a relief stele describing Antioch, King of the Commagene 
shaking hands with Helios, God of Sun, column base with cross 
Since mosaics "Flight of Europa", "Eros and Psyche" and 
"Three Women" were of great importance they were moved to 
the laboratory. Conservation and restoration work on finds and 
mosaics continued after 4 October 2000, the date for the 
completion of the impoundment program. 
All findings obtained in excavations were documented in line 
with the rules of modern archeology without missing any detail. 
Documentation works are based upon three methods as written 
records and drawings, digital camera and conventional 
photography. Documentation work including all details from the 
smallest architectural object to larger buildings, from small 
finds to earth samples was conducted in computers. 
As a result of this work in Zeugma, there is now a large pile of 
archeological records including hundreds of drawings, 
thousands of written documents, over 500 photographs and 
2,376 digital visions. Over 1,000 of small finds thus far 
recorded consist of coins. The number of bulla found can be 
considered a world record in this field. 
3. PROTECTION OF CULTURAL PROPERTIES 
3.1 GAP Regional Development Administration 
The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) had originally been 
planned as a set of 13 projects envisaging the construction of 
dams on the Euphrates and the Tigris for irrigation and energy 
production purposes. Altogether there would be 22 dams and 19 
hydraulic power plants on these rivers. The case, however, has 
changed since then. Now GAP has turned into a full-fledged 
regional development project focusing on human resources. As 
such, other than hydraulic plants and irrigation facilities, it 
covers a whole range of activities in the fields of urban/rural 
infrastructure, transportation, industry, education, health, 
housing, tourism and many others. 
GAP is presently one of the largest regional development 
projects in the world both for its coverage and its objectives and 
targets. The human centered approach of the project and its 
status of constituting a unique model in terms of its human 
development goals are the facts both of which find their 
reflection in ever increasing willingness for international 
cooperation and participation. 
3.2 Coordination and Documentation 
In order continue with post-excavation works in a systematic 
and scientific manner and to launch new projects for the future 
of Zeugma, the GAP Administration is maintaining its 
coordination function with regard to the Packard Humanities 
Institute (PHI), relevant organizations and agencies, teams 
engaged in excavations and local governments. 
384