Christmas Liturgy Held at the World’s Oldest Cave Church in Antakya
A Christmas liturgy was held at Saint Pierre Church, a site widely regarded as the world’s oldest cave church and one of the most important landmarks of early Christianity. Located on the slopes near Habib-i Neccar Mountain in Antakya, the ancient sanctuary once again became a place of worship, linking present-day religious practice with the
Restoration Works to Expand at Zerzevan Castle, the Easternmost Garrison of the Roman Empire
Restoration efforts are set to enter a new phase at Zerzevan Castle, one of the most strategically significant military installations on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. While conservation work continues at the southern tower and the large basilica, plans are in place to extend restoration next year to the underground church, the Mithras
2,000-Year-Old Lion-Headed Gargoyle Damaged at Termessos, the City Alexander the Great Could Not Conquer
At the ancient city of Termessos, one of the most dramatic mountain strongholds of ancient Anatolia, a 2,000-year-old lion-headed gargoyle has been found broken, raising renewed concerns about the protection of archaeological heritage sites in Türkiye. Located at an altitude of around 1,150 meters in the Taurus Mountains near Antalya, Termessos is famously known as
Noted by an English Traveler in 1835, Burdur’s Serençay Canyon Preserves Late Roman Settlement
In the rugged interior of southwestern Anatolia, a narrow canyon carved by nature also carries the marks of human survival and belief. Serençay Canyon, located in Türkiye’s Burdur province, was already attracting attention in the early 19th century, when an English traveler recorded its rock-cut landscape in 1835. Nearly two centuries later, the same canyon
Monumental Hellenistic Goddess Head Unearthed in Metropolis: Early Analysis Suggests a Link to Hestia
The ancient city of Metropolis, set among the orchards and gentle hills of Izmir’s Torbalı district, has delivered one of its most impressive finds in recent years. Archaeologists working in a structure identified as a commercial building have uncovered the finely carved head of a monumental marble statue—a discovery that may redefine what is known
28 Antiquities Are Returning to Türkiye from the U.S., Including Boubon’s Lost Bronze Emperor
Twenty-eight looted antiquities are being repatriated from the United States to Türkiye, led by the long-missing bronze statue of a Roman emperor from the ancient city of Boubon. The group also includes a marble head of Demosthenes and several terracotta tablets from Düver—objects that disappeared decades ago before resurfacing in American collections. The Turkish Ministry
Newly Exposed Mosaic Structure in Lake Sapanca May Belong to a Late Antique Chapel, Researchers Say
As water levels recede in Lake Sapanca, a mosaic-floored building resurfaces, prompting renewed archaeological interest. The falling water level of Lake Sapanca in northwestern Türkiye has revealed a mosaic-paved structure that had remained submerged for centuries. As stone foundations and sections of patterned flooring emerged from the lakebed, specialists began reassessing the site’s function and
New Excavations at Perre Reveal Expanding Sacred Zones and Hidden Layers of Roman-Era Life
The 2025 archaeological season at Perre, one of the five principal cities of the ancient Kingdom of Commagene, has come to a close with significant new discoveries that deepen the understanding of the city’s religious and social landscape. The work, carried out across a newly uncovered 2,500-square-meter area in Adıyaman’s Örenli district, has revealed architectural
A Nearly Intact Medusa Mosaic at Ancient Kibyra Is Temporarily Closed to Protect It from Winter Damage
Anyone visiting the mountain-ringed plateau of Kibyra in southwestern Türkiye is usually greeted by an unexpected survivor: a vividly colored Medusa mosaic crafted from precision-cut marble. This winter, however, the famous artwork is hidden from view—not because of secrecy, but because it is simply too rare to risk exposure to cold, rain, and frost. Archaeologists
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.