ColossaeHonaz
interest
Biblical Significance
Recipient of Paul's Epistle to the Colossians
Textile Industry
Famous for "colossinus" dark red/purple wool dye
Herodotus
Called "a great city of Phrygia" (5th century BCE)
Status
One of the most significant unexcavated sites in Turkey
“As the recipient of a Pauline epistle, Colossae is one of the most historically important unexcavated sites in the world.”
Colossae was an ancient Phrygian city in western Turkey, famous as the recipient of Paul's Epistle to the Colossians and for its textile industry, remaining largely unexcavated.
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Colossae is one of the most historically significant unexcavated archaeological sites in the ancient world. Located in the Lycus Valley of western Turkey near modern Honaz in Denizli province, the city is best known as the recipient of the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Colossians, one of the canonical letters of the New Testament. Long before its Christian associations, Colossae was a major Phrygian city on the principal route from the Aegean coast to the Anatolian interior. Herodotus described it as "a great city of Phrygia" when Xerxes passed through in 481 BCE. The city was famous for its production of "colossinus" — a distinctive dark red or purple wool dye that was traded across the ancient world. The city declined in importance during the Hellenistic and Roman periods as nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis grew. Despite this relative decline, Colossae maintained a community significant enough to receive Paul's letter (written c. 60-62 CE), which addresses theological issues within its early Christian congregation. The ancient city survives as a substantial tell (mound) roughly 100 meters across, with surface pottery spanning from the Bronze Age through Byzantine periods. Despite its Biblical fame, the site has never been formally excavated, though systematic surface surveys and geophysical investigations have mapped subsurface features. Mount Honaz (ancient Mount Cadmus) provides a dramatic backdrop to the site.
why_it_matters
evidence
evidence_desc
confirmed
3- Herodotus (Histories 7.30) identifies Colossae as "a great city of Phrygia" on Xerxes' march route in 481 BCE.
- Paul's Epistle to the Colossians (c. 60-62 CE) addresses a Christian community at the city, providing evidence of early Christian presence.
- Surface pottery collected during surveys spans from the Middle Bronze Age through the Byzantine period, confirming millennia of occupation.
inferred
1- Pliny's reference to "colossinus" dye suggests the city was an important center of wool processing and luxury textile production.
debated
2- Whether the earthquake of 60 CE mentioned by Tacitus actually destroyed Colossae or primarily affected neighboring Laodicea is debated.
- Whether Paul personally visited Colossae or knew the community only through his associate Epaphras remains a scholarly question.
excavation
Early identification
led_by William Hamilton
William Hamilton identified the site and confirmed its location near Honaz, matching ancient geographical descriptions.
Australian surface survey
led_by Alan Cadwallader
Alan Cadwallader led systematic surface surveys collecting and analyzing pottery spanning Bronze Age through Byzantine periods.
Geophysical survey
Ground-penetrating radar and magnetic surveys mapped subsurface features including possible church foundations, streets, and public buildings.
Excavation permit preparations
Planning and permit applications for the first formal excavations at Colossae, aimed at investigating the early Christian community.
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sources
- The Land and the Book: Colossae in Focus — Alan Cadwallader & Michael Trainor (2011)
- Colossae in Space and Time — Alan Cadwallader (2015)
- Wikipedia — Colossaelink