▲Fifty years ago George Bass, then a young research assistant at the University of Pennsylvania Museum, arrived in Bodrum heading an archaeological expedition to excavate Turkey’s underwater treasures. Today he is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus with many prestigious awards, 18 gooks and publications and more than 100 articles to his credit. Among his awards are the National Medal of Science (presented to him by the President of the United States in the White House), the Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement awarded by the Archaeological Institute of America, the La Gorge Gold Medal of the National Geographical Society, Explorers Club’s Lowell Thomas Award, National Geographical Society Centennial Award, J.C. Harrington Medal from the Society for Historical Archaeology, the Lucy Wharton Drexel Medal for Achievement in Archaeology, as well as honorary doctorates from the Bosphorus University in Istanbul and the University of Liverpool. On 18 June 2010 George Bass (inset photo) was in Bodrum to receive recognition for the 50 years of service to Turkish underwater archaeology, an engraved plaque presented to him by the Underwater Research Society. As it is well known that the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology which put Bodrum on the tourist map or the world owes its existence largely to Prof. Bass’s efforts, it was hoped that some national, regional or local authorities (like a minister, the governor or the mayor) would attend to express gratitude for work so highly praised by others. Their absence was sadly noted – with the hope that perhaps some authority in Bodrum, Mugla or Ankara will see fit to publicly recognize the invaluable services rendered to this town and country over a period of 50 years by this unpretentious scholar.

►Over the past month or so a columnist in the Turkish newspaper Vatan has made it his mission to keep a searing spotlight on the horror of Bodrum roads, a subject we have commented on before. The writer, Mr. Aydin Apaydin, has steadfastly hounded the authorities demanding answers to questions we all have: why was the work started so late and when will it be finished properly. For a Bodrum resident his columns on the subject were a delight to read, and it’s been a pleasure to see that when relentlessly harried by the press the authorities were compelled to respond and speed up the works. Our gratitude to Aydin Apaydin!