Meryem Ana Mountain in Cappadocia Reveals 93-Room Rock-Cut Complex, Ancient Sacred Site
A little-known highland site in central Türkiye is emerging as one of Cappadocia’s most intriguing historical landscapes. Recent work at Meryem Ana Mountain, a 1,603-meter peak near Ürgüp, has brought to light a large rock-cut complex and clear evidence of long-term religious use, reshaping understanding of the area’s cultural depth. Located between the villages of
Sillyon’s Hellenistic Walls Rise Again in Antalya, Reasserting One of Anatolia’s Most Formidable Ancient Defenses
For centuries, Sillyon stood as a city few could reach—let alone conquer. Now, with the restoration of its Hellenistic walls, that reputation is becoming visible once again. Perched on a steep plateau in the Serik district of Antalya, Sillyon Ancient City was never an ordinary settlement. Its defensive strength began with geography. Sheer slopes and
Stolen Angel Statue Returns to Heybeliada Monastery After 21 Years
A religious artifact stolen more than two decades ago has finally been returned to its original home in Istanbul, marking the conclusion of a long legal and investigative process. The “Angel Statue,” identified as belonging to the Aya Yorgi Monastery on Heybeliada, was officially handed over to representatives of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. From
Ancient Pergamon Acropolis Reveals How a Hilltop City Became a Powerhouse of the Ancient World
Rising sharply above the modern town of Bergama in western Türkiye, the Pergamon Acropolis still dominates the landscape—just as it did more than two millennia ago. But this was no ordinary hilltop settlement. New interpretations of its urban design and historical development are shedding light on how Pergamon transformed a steep and seemingly impractical terrain
Rare Dede Korkut Manuscript Donated Unknowingly in Bursa May Gain UNESCO Recognition
One of the most important literary treasures of the Turkic world—an extremely rare manuscript of the Book of Dede Korkut—has resurfaced in an unexpected way in Bursa, Türkiye. The manuscript, donated to a museum by a collector who initially did not realize its significance, is now recognized as one of the few surviving copies of
Forgotten Crafts Revived in Restored Ottoman Shops at Stratonikeia
For decades, visitors have come to Stratonikeia for its marble streets, its vast gymnasium, and the memory of gladiators who once fought in its arena. Soon, they may also come for the sound of a hammer striking copper, or the smell of fresh bread from a village oven. At the entrance of the ancient city
Hatay Archaeology Museum to Reopen in Phases by the End of 2026
The Hatay Archaeology Museum in southern Türkiye—severely damaged during the devastating February 6, 2023 earthquakes—will reopen in stages, with full public access planned by the end of 2026, officials have confirmed. Before the disaster, the museum housed approximately 37,000 artifacts, including an internationally renowned collection of Roman and Byzantine mosaics. Following the earthquakes, the artifacts
Beneath a Modern Market in Trabzon, a Rare Roman-Era River Harbor Emerges
For years, the Pazarkapı district in Trabzon was simply a marketplace. Few suspected that beneath the demolished Kadınlar Hali building lay a structure that would quietly redefine how we understand Black Sea commerce. Recent archaeological and conservation work has identified the remains as a river harbor connected to the Kuzgundere Stream — and, according to
Carchemish, the Hittites’ Frontier City on the Euphrates, Introduced Through a New Exhibition in Ankara
One of the most strategically important cities of the Hittite world has returned to public view—this time not on the banks of the Euphrates, but in the heart of Türkiye’s capital. A new exhibition titled “Carchemish of the Hittites on the Banks of the Euphrates: New Discoveries and New Perspectives” has opened at the Museum
T-Shaped Stones Surface Near the Euphrates, Pointing to a Wider Taş Tepeler Network
A newly identified Neolithic site in southeastern Türkiye, near the Upper Euphrates River, is adding weight to the idea that the monumental tradition associated with Göbeklitepe extended far beyond its previously known boundaries. As water levels dropped in the Atatürk Dam reservoir, stone structures began to surface along the shoreline near Kızılöz village in the