AGORA WEST STOA
Restoration of the west stoa of the late Roman agora started on March 13, 2015 in accordance with the decision of Aydın Board for the Preservation of Cultural Properties no. 3444 dated 26 Dec. 2014.
In the previous years, seventeen columns unearthed and restored were erected on their original locations at the west stoa. With the completion of excavations, restoration was started for the eighteenth through twenty-third columns. Columns and fragments were moved to the floor of the agora’s west stoa according to their find conditions in order to start their restoration (Fig. 1).
Fragments of capitals were surface-cleaned and prepared for rejoining for anastylosis purposes within the frame of conservation and restoration works planned. Drums and capitals broken and fallen onto the main square of the agora were drawn and documented; then they were moved to stone field using a crane. Following the completion of restoration of the column bases, drums and capitals the columns were erected at their original places as part of anastylosis (Fig. 2).
