Nif (Olympos) Mountain, in which many cultures are embedded, is located east of Izmir Smyrna Bay around common-borders of Kemalpaşa, Buca and Torbalı districts. The Nif Mountain and its surrounding were the most ignored and the least documented region by travelers, modern researchers, as well as ancient sources, in spite of it having a very  convenient location close to İzmir (Smyrna).
During our first excursions (1999- 2001) we observed that, because of natural destruction (especially by tree roots) and illegal excavations, the region was being destroyed day by day without documented. In order to save cultures in layers below, scientific research and excavations should have been done immediately. Our surveys (2004- 2005) and very first archaeological excavations (2006- 2011) on the Nif Mountain revealed structures or fundaments, graves, ceramics, coins, various stone-, metal-, glass- and bone-objects dated from 8th century B.C. to 14th century A.D. During our surveys, in the southwest of Kemalpaşa (former Nymphaion) district, a Byzantine structure was discovered at Kozludere (now called "Gümüşhaneliler Yaylası", Plateau of the settlers from Gümüşhane) at the altitude of 640 m. Perhaps an ecclesiastical residue of Byzantine Period, must be identified in the two adjacent natural caves on the Savanda / Kız Kalesi (Maiden's Castle) Hill with three peaks near the Kurudere Village (now Nazarköy). In Başpınar area, first archaeological digging in pillaged Byzantine church of Laskaris period started in 2007 and a Byzantine building complex, which consisting of three buildings, was found.