Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Beçin in the Milas district of Muğla, which once was the capital of the Menteşeoğlu Principality and one of the important centers in the settlement of the Turkish-Islamic period and is now on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List were carried out under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Kadir PEKTAŞ from IMU Department of Art History with the cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul Medeniyet University, and the Turkish Historical Society.
PEKTAŞ stated that the ancient city of Beçin is among the most important ruins in the region and excavations continue throughout the year, adding that the ruins unearthed in the ancient city shed light on history and that the surviving historical structures were restored and brought into cultural tourism. PEKTAŞ also mentioned that bringing the region to tourism is a very important step for cultural investment, and Beçin also has an important place in terms of Turkish culture and history.
This region, which was called Caria in the ancient period, came under the rule of Menteşe Principality after 1261. In Beçin, the administrative center of the Menteşe Principality, there are about 20 historical buildings in partially intact condition. Beçin, which was included in the World Heritage Tentative List by UNESCO in 2012, is among the very few cities in Anatolia that were founded by the Turks and survived until today.
