BATI ANADOLU’NUN YOL AĞI: ARAŞTIRMALAR- II KUŞADASI LİMANI VE KERVAN YOLLARI

The harbour of Ephesus is one of the most significant centres of trade in the Antiquity. It has enabled the city of Ephesus to develop and become one of the most well-known cities of the age. However, alluviums ? brought by Kücük Menderes River ? filling this harbour, has made it evident that it is necessary to find other places for the ships to dock. Accordingly, the Harbour of Kusadasi has gained importance. Its function in the marketing of the production of lower Büyük Menderes Basin in the Kusadasi Hinterland is also noteworthy. The alleys coming from the lower Büyük Menderes Basin, the hinterland of the harbour of Kusadasi, have been used since the Antiquity. These alleys that were used to transport goods appear as winding and complex in terms of the region. The valleys of Büyük Menderes River and its branches have formed natural alleys, which have generated economic means of access to provide advantages of time and distance, compatible with the rich toponomic texture of the sanjak. This study aims to attempts to analyse the itineraries of the caravan routes that reach the Harbour of Kusadasi. The most important resources of this study are the documents of the survey conducted by us and the archives.