Aphrodisias is a remarkably well-preserved Roman-period city in ancient Caria, Türkiye, which was famous in antiquity for its sanctuary of Aphrodite and its marble sculptors. The New York University expeditions at Aphrodisias have been underway since 1961, first under the direction of the late Professor Kenan Erim, and since 1991 under R.R.R. Smith, professor of classical archaeology and art (emeritus since 2022) in the faculty of Classics at Oxford University .
Since 2012, the Foundation has supported Professor Smith in the documentation and conservation of previously excavated monuments, on targeted new excavations, and on scientific research and publication. The excavated monuments of Aphrodisias and their associated sculptures and inscribed texts document the social history and visual culture of an ancient city in unusual detail. Aphrodisias sheds valuable light on larger issues such as the interaction between Greek and Roman identities, the functioning of empire, religious conflict and accommodation, and the transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages.
