Dolojman Cape & Argamum Fortress

 nature reserve, headland, interesting place

Orgame (Argamum) fortified settlement


The town was founded in the third quarter of the 7th c. BC. The wall line shows a triangular layout. The contour of the town wall in the Archaic and Classical periods remains unknown, although traces have been detected southwest of the Late Roman enclosure wall. Presumably, an earthquake caused the collapse into the sea (today the Razelm Lake) of the eastern half of the town.
Detailed observations have been made only on the Late Roman town wall. The wall is 2.60m wide, made of rectangular schist ashlar set in regular courses (opus vittatum). The so-called flaring foundation of regular courses of schist blocks, bound with mortar, was
built in steps towards the steep ravine to the lake. The precinct had rectangular bastions at regular intervals, while rectangular towers must have occupied parts of the west and of the south sides. An interior 6th c. court gate on the western side of the precinct wall conventionally called the ‘big gate’ was built of large-sized limestone ashlar. Another entrance (the ‘small gate’), a simple opening in the wall, is located on the south side.
The date of the Argamum late defence wall was established at the mid-6th c., during Justinian’s reign, as Procopius’ De Aedificiis mentions the works of rebuilding carried out at this town.