Before the Hittites: 8,000-Year-Old Rock Art Discovered in Central Anatolia
Archaeologists have discovered prehistoric rock engravings estimated to be around 8,000 years old in the Develi district of Kayseri, a region located in the heart of Central Anatolia. The discovery, now awaiting official registration, offers rare insight into one of the earliest symbolic traditions known in the region—long before the rise of the Hittite civilization.
5,000-Year-Old Earthquake Collapse Uncovered at Çayönü Mound in Southeastern Türkiye
Archaeologists excavating the prehistoric settlement of Çayönü Tepesi in Diyarbakır’s Ergani district have uncovered the remains of a building that collapsed during a powerful earthquake roughly 5,000 years ago — a rare glimpse into the seismic past of one of Anatolia’s earliest farming communities. Layers of a Forgotten Tremor The discovery was announced by Assoc.
Foundation of One of the Twelve Gates Built Against the Mongol Threat Unearthed in the Seljuk Capital Konya
Archaeological excavations in Türkiye’s central city of Konya have brought to light the foundation of one of the twelve monumental gates that once guarded the Seljuk capital during the reign of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I (r. 1220–1237). The newly uncovered structure, identified as the Larende Gate, formed part of the outer defensive walls commissioned by
Digital Pathways to the Hittite World: AI and Archaeology Unite to Decode an Ancient Empire
A new research initiative from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) is reshaping how scholars study the Hittite Empire—one of the most formidable powers of Bronze Age Anatolia. The project, titled “Digital Pathways to the Hittite World,” merges archaeology, philology, and artificial intelligence to transform the long-standing Hethitologie-Portal Mainz (HPM) into a next-generation research platform. Rebuilding an Empire—Data
Letter of Roman Emperor Caracalla Discovered in the Walls of a 1950s House in Türkiye
A forgotten imperial inscription surfaces in a rural home near the ancient city of Takina In southwestern Türkiye, archaeologists have identified stones from a 1950s house that once formed part of a monumental Roman inscription — an imperial letter written on behalf of Emperor Caracalla (r. AD 198–217). The stones, taken decades ago from the
Bronze Bust of Egyptian Goddess Isis Discovered at Satala, a Roman Military Fortress in Northern Türkiye
A 20-centimeter bronze bust of Isis found in the Roman city of Satala reveals the presence of Egyptian religious traditions among legionaries stationed in the Anatolian highlands. Archaeologists working at Satala, a major Roman military center in Kelkit, Gümüşhane Province, have unearthed a finely crafted bronze bust of the Egyptian goddess Isis. The rare discovery
Third Roman Hippodrome in Anatolia Unearthed Beneath the City of Kayseri
Archaeological research conducted in central Türkiye has uncovered the remains of a Roman-era hippodrome beneath the modern city of Kayseri — marking the third known example of such a monumental structure in Anatolia. The discovery offers rare insight into the architectural and social fabric of ancient Caesarea, the capital of the Kingdom of Cappadocia and
3,300-Year-Old Hittite Tablets and Official Seals Unearthed at Oylum Höyük Reveal a Lost Administrative Center
Archaeologists working at Oylum Höyük in Kilis, near the Turkish–Syrian border, have uncovered four cuneiform tablets — two written in Hittite and two in Akkadian — along with five clay seal impressions belonging to local administrators of the Hittite Empire. The finds, dating to the 13th–14th centuries B.C., shed new light on how the empire
Lost Archive of the Mitanni Empire with Akkadian Cuneiform Tablets and an Unknown Hittite Prince Unearthed in Türkiye
Archaeologists have unearthed a lost archive of the Mitanni Empire, including dozens of Akkadian cuneiform tablets and seal impressions belonging to a previously unknown Hittite prince, during excavations at the ancient city of Alalakh (Aççana Höyük) in southern Türkiye’s Hatay Province. The discovery, conducted under the Heritage for the Future Project (Geleceğe Miras Projesi), sheds
Daily Life Unearthed at Karahantepe: Over 30 Neolithic Dwellings Discovered in Southeastern Türkiye
Archaeologists excavating the Neolithic site of Karahantepe in Şanlıurfa — one of the key locations within the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) Project — have uncovered more than 30 small dwellings dating back 11,000 years. The discovery reveals that this ancient settlement was not only a place of monumental architecture and ritual but also home to