3,000-Year-Old Neo-Hittite Meat Oven Discovered at Arslantepe Mound

In eastern Türkiye, archaeologists at Arslantepe Mound have unearthed a 3,000-year-old underground meat oven dating to the Neo-Hittite period. Although resembling a traditional tandır, the structure served a different purpose. The discovery is regarded as a striking development for both archaeology and gastronomy.

Located just 7 kilometers from Malatya’s city center, Arslantepe was continuously inhabited from 5000 BC to the 11th century AD. Rising about 30 meters high and covering 4.5 hectares, the mound is famous for its palatial buildings, temples, and seal impressions that reflect the earliest forms of state organization. In 2021, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognized as one of the earliest examples of state formation in Anatolia.

Excavation director Prof. Dr. Francesca Balossi Restelli stated that the 2025 season began in August and has so far concentrated on the northern sector of the mound.

The uncovered installation may look like a tandır, but it features distinctive elements: it was built underground, its hearth supports were made of baked clay, and numerous animal bones were found inside. These findings confirm that the structure was used not for baking bread but for cooking meat. It is the third example of its kind to be unearthed this year.

According to Prof. Restelli, the cooking method strongly resembles the modern “kağıt kebabı” (paper kebab). Meat was placed inside the oven, sealed with a clay lid, and left to cook slowly for hours, sometimes overnight. She notes that this practice has clear parallels with Malatya’s still-popular long-duration meat recipes.

This discovery demonstrates that Arslantepe is not only significant for its political, religious, and architectural heritage but also as a window into everyday life and culinary traditions. The Neo-Hittite ovens are, in a sense, “re-cooking history,” forging a tangible gastronomic bridge between past and present.

Cover Image Credit: Anadolu Agency