CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, 2017 VOL. 19, NO. 4, 288–318 https://doi.org/10.1080/13505033.2017.1397490 A Model for Assessing the Reuse of an Ancient Place of Performance: The Bouleuterion of Teos Merve Çalışkan Department of Architectural Restoration, Izmır Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey ABSTRACT Ancient places of performance are often considered for reuse as a means of promoting archaeological sites. Therefore, local authorities and decision makers have a difcult task of balancing the conservation and management of the sites with the carrying capacity. In this paper, the bouleuterion, a ‘rediscovered’ structure, at the Teos archaeological site, in Turkey is evaluated and presented as a preliminary case study with the hopes that these issues will be taken into consideration by the managing body in the creation of a management plan for the site. The evaluation is made by assessing socio-economic and intangible heritage signifcance, policies guiding changes at the site, a qualitative survey at the site and by defning the structure’s carrying capacity. The site’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are used to create criteria and make proposals for its reuse. The study concludes that the bouleuterion cannot be reused as a venue in its present condition and makes recommendations for future use. History of the Site Teos archaeological site is located in Seferihisar, İzmir, Turkey and archaeological excavations have been carried out by Ankara University at the site since 2010. After these excavations began, there has been a call for increasing public awareness by local authorities for the promotion of Teos archaeological site. Evidence for this could be seen on billboards and local newspapers which declared the ancient city of Teos was the ‘home’ of Dionysian Arts and the bouleuterion (senate house) is going to be reused for public cultural events. 1 There are several architectural remains at the site today and the most preserved structure at the site is the bouleuterion. It was built in the late third century BCE and used not only for political meetings, but also for rhetoric and musical performances in the late Hellenistic period (Gneisz 1990, 43). After excavations carried out at the cavea (the seating of the site) of the structure, the Municipality of Seferihisar organised several meetings and cultural events in the bouleuterion: a classical music concert in 2012; the meeting of villagers, and performance of poetry in 2013; which the author believes could be called pioneering events for the structure’s future utilisation (Figures 1 and 2). © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group KEYWORDS Reuse; ancient places of performance; enhancement of ancient structures; management of archaeological sites; Teos archaeological site; carrying capacity CONTACT Merve Çalışkan mervecaliskan@iyte.edu.tr