Stone slabs engraved ancient land lease contracts in Turkey

The 1.5m-long ancient slab carved the detailed contents of the land lease contract found in Izmir province, Turkey.

Turkish archaeologists uncovered a slate of stones engraved on a land lease contract in Teos, an ancient Greek city in the modern province of Izmir, Turkey, Daily Sabah said on Monday. Teos is one of 12 cities in the Ionian union, born in the middle of the 7th century BC.

Ancient stone slabs engraved the details of the land lease contract.(Photo: Doğan News Agency).

The 1.5-meter stone slab details detailed information about a piece of land in Teos , including owners, tenants and penalties for non-compliance with the terms. It is believed to be the most detailed slate of the same type of stone found in Anatolia, an Asian peninsula that is now in Turkey.

"The stone tablet provides information about social life and the legal system in Teos," said Professor Musa Kadıoğlu, who is in charge of the excavation team.

The content on the stone reveals the land that is rented through auction and the owner requests it to be used for three days each year. In addition, the contract was signed with a sponsor and 6 witnesses were famous figures, including three city management officials.

Professor Mustafa Adak, a member of the excavation team, said it was the most special stone among the stones of the same type by half of the content, which referred to punishment for breach of contract.

"It sets the level of penalties paid by tenants if they break or fail to carry out annual maintenance procedures for the land and structures. Landowners also require inspection of the land each year and follow the signs. Its productivity , " Adak said.