Almost everything worth seeing at Misis is clustered around the 4th century AD Roman bridge on the Pyramos river (Ceyhan). Only the Roman windmill (G) is a bit further down the watercourse, but still within walking distance. Nothing was easily accessible on the day of my visit, and I was taking pictures from behind fences. Among notable structures unearthed at Misis to date is a neo-Hittite citadel from the 8th century BC located at the excavation mound (F). It means an ancient city already prospered here in the first centuries of the 1st millennium BC. Its Hittite name could be Pahri as suggested by Prof. Helmuth Bossert in 1950s (misis.isma.cnr.it).
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| Mopsuestia / Misis (A) * |
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| Landform (Google Earth) N↑ * |
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Fragment of Misis plan by E.J. Davis,
made in 1879 (Wikipedia) N↓ * |
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Caravanserai (A), built in 1661 by Sultan
Mehmed IV (D'Agata in Hürriyet DN, 2016) * |
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Northern wall with gate (A);
restored in 2020 * |
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| Gate close-up (A) * |
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Caravanserai's interior with fallen shaft of
column; looking from northeast (A) * |
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| Looking from southeast (A) * |
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| Foundations under roof (B) * |
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| Courtyard (A) * |
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| Gate seen from southwest (A) * |
The investment in the restoration works by the Yüreğir municipality of Adana suggests the administration has some hopes for tourism development in the region. A trip combining Misis, nearby Sirkeli Höyük (Muwatalli Relief) and Snake Castle would be an interesting option. It must be noted, however, that four months after the official opening of the site, covered by media, I didn't spot any basic touristic infrastructure, i.e. toilets, decent cafe or, at least, signposts and information boards.
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| Modern cemetery (C) east of A * |
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| Mysterious site in proximity of bridge (D) * |
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Ruins of building, perhaps mosque
as Davis' plan indicates (D) * |
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Cemetery parallel to building's
south wall (D) * |
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| Tombstone with inscription (D) * |
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Sarcophagus just outside current
cemetery area (D) * |
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Roman bridge (E), first built by Emperor
Constantius II; restored in 1998 * |
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| Area of excavations (F) * |
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| Awaiting archaeologists (F) * |
My negative experiences with the inhabitants of Misis.
To the southwest of the bridge there is the above mentioned 'mysterious site' (D). It houses some ruins and a second Islamic cemetery. I got into the premises through a wide open gate. There was no person or a signpost around. I could see a mandarine tree with some rotting fruits underneath. A few minutes after I entered the site a young man popped up saying 'yasak, yasak' (not allowed). I started leaving the place, but couldn't understand the nature of the problem, so I asked 'neden?' (why). Unfortunately, he didn't care to answer.
My second encounter with the natives of Misis was much more unpleasant. I went to see the excavation site (F). When I approached the closed gate a man, aged around 20, came from the garden of a nearby house. He introduced himself as the janitor of the site and proposed to let me in for 50 EUR (sic!). His action was observed by some other young men and a middle-aged woman. I rejected the proposal, I also didn't want him to be my guide at Misis, and refused to hand in any money. I wanted to take a picture from behind the fence, but the self-styled janitor said... 'yasak' (not allowed), of course.
So I went back to the car, drove 100 m, and found a path up to another wicket. I took two pictures and was already by the car when I saw the 'janitor' running toward me and dictating my car's plate number over his mobile. He said I had to wait for 'jandarma' (gendarmerie) because of the photos. I said OK. And then he took the picture of my plate. Why would he do it? He had already dictated the number, hadn't he? I realized he had hoped I would want to buy myself out of the trouble. Yet another trick. I started shouting at him and his shoulders got saggy. One of his friends came immediately repeating 'şaka, şaka' (joke), and I set off back to Adana.
I did many trips in Cilicia and bumped into many helpful individuals on the way, but at Misis I met a yob and two crooks. I will return there, nonetheless, as my survey couldn't be thorough on that day, and I didn't visit the windmill at all.
