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The Austrian Excavation Project Ephesos

In 1897 Emperor Franz Joseph signed the basic decree for the Austrian Archaeological Institute, just before this an Austrian-Hungarian research team had already taken over and resumed the excavation work, which had been started by a British team, in Ephesos.

In 1954 the archaeological work, which had previously been interrupted by the fall of the monarchy and the W.W.II, was resumed under the direction of Franz Miltner. ( Reconstruction of Hadrian's Temple and the Celsus Library). Special attention was paid in the 60's to The " Hanghaüsern/ Houses on the slope" situated on the Kuretenstrasse/ Kureten Street ( built between 100 BC and 700 AD, lived in and altered time and time again), which through excavations and research has opened a magnificent insight into the ancient way of life. The largest project of earlier past excavations shows the restoration of the Theatre and the No.2 house on the slope. Due to its extraordinarily good condition of preservation ( together with its wall murals and mosaics ) the latter is placed, from its archaeological importance, next to the ancient cities of Vesuv. In order to safeguard and preserve this special discovery a roofing-over project has been started, according to the blueprints from Zeisel/Hauselmayr, which should be finished in 1999. The expense for which ( according to the first estimate was 20 million schillings/ one million pounds sterling) will partly be met by the Austrian Ministry of Science, but also paid for, thanks to the work of "The Society For the Friends of Ephesos" ( President: Siemens General Director Albert Hochleitner ) -in particular, by large Austrian sponsors (banks, insurance companies, construction companies...).

Because of this Ephesos has become a large multi- dimensional, prestigious Austrian project.
In Turkish everyday life Ephesos is a term less because of its archeaological importance but much more because the most popular Turkish beer "Efes" is named after it.