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
2,400-Year-Old Submerged City Remains Filmed Beneath Dicle Dam in Diyarbakır
Beneath the still surface of the Dicle Dam Lake, traces of an older Eğil are still there — not erased, just hidden. Recent underwater footage recorded in the Eğil district of Diyarbakır has brought these remains back into view. During a routine training dive, search-and-rescue teams documented architectural structures lying beneath the reservoir — some
Türkiye’s Only Pyramid-Type Tomb Enters New Conservation Phase in Marmaris
Conservation and environmental improvement works have begun at Türkiye’s only pyramid-type tomb in the Turgut neighborhood of Marmaris, one of the region’s most significant cultural heritage monuments and a rare Hellenistic funerary structure located in Muğla Province. The project is being carried out by the Marmaris Chamber of Commerce (MTO), which both prepared and funded
A Kingdom in the Shadow of Assyria: The Topada Inscription and the Politics of War in 8th-Century Anatolia
In central Anatolia, near modern Nevşehir, the Topada Inscription preserves one of the most important royal inscriptions of the 8th century BCE. Commissioned by Wasusarma, king of Tabal, and carved in Hieroglyphic Luwian, the monument documents a regional war involving eight rival kings and reflects the shifting balance of power under the expanding shadow of
The Most Important Oracle of the Aiolis Region: The 2,300-Year-Old Temple of Apollo Khresterios at Aigai
Hidden deep within a rural valley of western Türkiye, far from modern roads and urban pressure, the Temple of Apollo Khresterios stands as one of the most intact and enigmatic oracle centers of the ancient world. Located near the ancient city of Aigai, the sanctuary played a central role in the religious life of the
In Midas’ Shadow? The Royal Phrygian Tumulus in Western Anatolia Is Reshaping the Power Map
For much of the last century, the political and ceremonial geography of Phrygia has been interpreted through a single focal point: Gordion. Long regarded as the unquestioned center of royal authority, the city shaped how scholars understood power, hierarchy, and elite identity in Iron Age Anatolia. A newly analyzed burial from western Anatolia, however, is
Pygela Necropolis in Kuşadası Granted First-Degree Archaeological Protection
A previously overlooked burial landscape connected to the ancient city of Pygela, near modern-day Kuşadası in western Türkiye, has now been officially designated a First-Degree Archaeological Site. The decision places the Otuzbirler Mevkii Necropolis under the highest level of legal protection, reflecting growing recognition of the area’s archaeological sensitivity and future research potential. Official designation
The Kilamuwa Stele from Zincirli Höyük Reveals How a Neo-Hittite King Wrote His Own Power into Stone
At Zincirli Höyük, located in today’s Gaziantep province in southern Türkiye, archaeologists uncovered one of the most explicit royal inscriptions of the Iron Age Near East. Known as the Kilamuwa Stele, this monument was erected in the 9th century BCE by King Kilamuwa, ruler of the Neo-Hittite kingdom of Bit-Gabbari. More than a historical record,
Was Öksüt Castle Once a Hittite Stronghold? Local Experts Reconsider the Origins of a Massive Rock-Cut Fortress in Central Anatolia
High on the southern slopes of Mount Erciyes, the vast rock-cut complex of Öksüt Castle dominates the landscape with a network of carved chambers, tunnels, cisterns, and multi-level passageways. Although long known to the local population, the fortress is once again drawing attention as scholars and heritage specialists revisit longstanding claims of a Hittite-era origin
A Newly Uncovered 1,500-Year-Old Roman Dwelling Sheds Light on Daily Life in Ancient Commagene’s City of Perre
The 2025 excavation season at Perre has revealed one of the most informative architectural discoveries yet: a 1,500-year-old domestic complex built during the late Roman occupation of the ancient Commagene region. The find delivers a rare, ground-level view of how households functioned in a city positioned at a vital crossroads of trade and military movement.