The God Who Breathes in Stone: The Colossal Zeus Head of Aphrodisias
In the ancient city of Aphrodisias, located in Aydın’s Karacasu district, art and divinity once merged in marble. Renowned across the Roman Empire as one of its greatest centers of sculpture, Aphrodisias continues to astonish scholars with masterpieces that reveal the technical and emotional depth of ancient craftsmanship. Among its most breathtaking creations stands the
Marble-Paved Roads and Ancient Sewers Unearthed at the Roman Theater of Nicaea — Site of the First Christian Council
Archaeologists have uncovered marble-paved roads and a remarkably well-preserved sewage system at the western sector of the 2,000-year-old Roman Theater of Nicaea (modern-day İznik, Turkey) — the ancient city that hosted the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325, a defining event in early Christian history. The excavations are conducted under the İznik Museum Directorate
9-Million-Year-Old Giraffe Skull Unearthed in Türkiye’s Çankırı Region: Almost Perfectly Preserved
Archaeologists in central Türkiye have uncovered a nearly complete giraffe skull dating back around 9 million years. The discovery, made at the Çorakyerler Vertebrate Fossil Site, may represent a previously unknown species. A nearly complete giraffe skull fossil estimated to be 9 million years old has been unearthed in Türkiye’s Çankırı province, at the Çorakyerler
Anatolia’s Ancient Taste: 8,600-Year-Old Bread and 4,000-Year-Old Chickpeas Unearthed in Türkiye
Archaeological excavations supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism have brought to light the ancient taste of Anatolia, revealing extraordinary traces of the region’s early culinary and agricultural traditions. From 4,000-year-old chickpeas in Kütahya to 8,600-year-old bread remnants in Konya, these discoveries show how ancient communities cultivated, prepared, and ritualized food thousands of
3,200-Year-Old Hittite Sculpture Workshop in Yozgat Damaged by Looters
A 3,200-year-old Hittite sculpture workshop in Karakız, a village in Sorgun district of Yozgat, Türkiye, is being ravaged by illegal excavations. A basalt lion statue—one of the few surviving examples of Hittite stonework in the region—has been severely damaged by treasure hunters, raising urgent calls for protection. Archaeologists have identified the site as a rare
3,000-Year-Old Elamite Jar Burial Unearthed Near Persepolis
Archaeologists in southern Iran have uncovered a 3,000-year-old Elamite jar burial just two kilometers from Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The discovery at Tol-e Roubahi Kenareh, along with dense deposits of kiln waste, is reshaping understanding of prehistoric settlement in the Marvdasht plain. Expanding the Settlement Map The finds were announced by
Pergamon’s Red Basilica Set to Reopen in 2026 After Extensive Restoration
At the core of ancient Pergamon in western Türkiye rises the Red Basilica, a colossal Roman sanctuary that has witnessed nearly two millennia of transformation—from a temple dedicated to Egyptian gods under Emperor Hadrian, to one of the earliest Christian basilicas, later adapted as a mosque. Now part of Pergamon’s UNESCO World Heritage landscape, this
13,000-Year-Old Beads Unearthed in Direkli Cave Reveal Origins of Aesthetic Culture in Anatolia
Archaeologists in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, have uncovered dozens of Epipaleolithic beads dated between 9,500 and 14,000 BCE at Direkli Cave. The discovery highlights the region’s role as a crossroads of cultural exchange and artistic expression. Located in the Onikişubat district of Kahramanmaraş, the Direkli Cave has once again yielded remarkable finds that shed light on prehistoric
Megiddo Exhibition Opens in Chicago: Unearthing a Century of Archaeology and the Legacy of Armageddon
CHICAGO — The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) at the University of Chicago has opened a landmark exhibition titled “Megiddo: A City Unearthed, A Past Imagined,” marking 100 years since the university’s first major expedition to the ancient city of Megiddo. The exhibition, which runs from September 18, 2025, to March 15,
Miniature Spearhead and Bronze Buckle Unearthed from the First Turkic Khaganate in Russia’s Altai
Archaeologists working in Russia’s Altai Republic have brought to light rare objects linked to the First Turkic Khaganate (6th–7th centuries CE), one of Central Asia’s earliest nomadic empires. The artifacts, uncovered during the Katanda-2025 International Expedition, provide valuable insights into ritual practices and material culture at the heart of the Eurasian steppe. Ritual Enclosures Yield