He noted that Lagina is one of the two religious centers of the ancient city of Stratonikeia, approximately 8.5 kilometers away, and that having the temple dedicated to the important ancient goddess Hecate in Lagina makes the sacred area even more significant.
Söğüt highlighted that this is known to be the largest sacred area and temple dedicated to Hecate from the ancient period. He added that during the Ottoman period, Osman Hamdi Bey conducted some of the first excavations in Western Anatolia here between 1891-1892.
The current work includes both excavation and drawing, as well as temporary anastylosis—reconstructing the structure from discovered blocks without adding new elements.
Söğüt explained that they place blocks from around 2,100 years ago back into their original positions, including those in the naos and the surrounding peristasis columns, in stages.
He emphasized that the work is part of the Future Heritage Project, truly leaving a legacy for the future.
