Beneath a Modern Market in Trabzon, a Rare Roman-Era River Harbor Emerges
For years, the Pazarkapı district in Trabzon was simply a marketplace. Few suspected that beneath the demolished Kadınlar Hali building lay a structure that would quietly redefine how we understand Black Sea commerce. Recent archaeological and conservation work has identified the remains as a river harbor connected to the Kuzgundere Stream — and, according to
Ancient Ritual Pit at Oluz Höyük May Represent Anatolia’s Earliest Evidence of Zoroastrian Worship
Across central Anatolia, layers of earth sometimes preserve turning points in religious history. At Oluz Höyük, an archaeological mound near modern Amasya in northern Türkiye, researchers have identified a ritual installation that may represent the earliest archaeological evidence of Zoroastrian ceremonial practice in Anatolia. The interpretation is based on a detailed academic study examining a
Villagers Used Stones from a Zeus Temple to Build Their Homes
In northern Anatolia, the remains of an ancient Roman sanctuary have resurfaced in a way few would expect. In the Daday district of Kastamonu, villagers once took stones from a temple dedicated to Zeus and reused them in the construction of their homes, embedding fragments of a sacred monument into everyday domestic architecture. The site
A 2,600-Year-Old Persian-Era Tandoor Discovered at Oluz Höyük by Turkish Archaeologists
Buried just beneath the floor of an ancient domestic space at Oluz Höyük in northern Türkiye, a clay-built oven has resurfaced with a familiar shape. Despite being 2,600 years old, the structure looks strikingly similar to the tandoors still used in Anatolian kitchens today—an architectural continuity that spans millennia. The discovery was made during the
Late Roman Palace Hall with Rare Mosaics Discovered at Hadrianopolis in Northern Anatolia
The moment archaeologists lifted the soil, the floor answered first—a near-intact mosaic field, still crisp enough to read like a visual statement of power. At Hadrianopolis, the ancient city in Karabük’s Eskipazar district in northern Anatolia, excavators have uncovered a mosaic-paved reception hall interpreted as part of a palace-like complex. The Find: A Formal Reception
A Smiling Medusa Discovered in the Ancient City of Amastris on Türkiye’s Black Sea Coast
Archaeologists working in Amasra have uncovered a highly unusual depiction of one of antiquity’s most iconic mythological figures. A Medusa carved not with a terrifying expression, but with a gentle, almost smiling face has been found among the ceiling coffers of a monumental Roman stoa. The discovery offers a new perspective on the artistic choices
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
Archaeologists Identify the Burial Chamber of Georgian King Ashot the Great at Gevhernik Castle
Archaeologists working at Gevhernik Castle in Ardanuç, northeastern Türkiye, have identified a vaulted burial chamber beneath the apse of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, believed to be the long-lost tomb of Georgian King Ashot I (Ashot the Great, Kuropalates) — a pivotal ruler in the formation of medieval Georgia.The discovery provides the first
Lost Temple Unearthed in Amasya: Built from Volcanic Rock, Absent from Ancient Records
Archaeologists in Türkiye have uncovered a mysterious 2,600-year-old temple at Oluz Höyük in Amasya—one that is absent even from the writings of ancient historians such as Herodotus and Strabo. The discovery sheds new light on Central Anatolia’s religious landscape during the Iron Age. Excavations, led for 19 years by Prof. Dr. Şevket Dönmez of Istanbul
Gifted Burials Unearthed at İkiztepe Mound: An Avenger and a 6-Year-Old Child
Two remarkable “gifted burials” have been uncovered during this year’s excavations at the İkiztepe Mound in Bafra, Samsun. The discoveries shed new light on the burial traditions and social structures of Early Bronze Age communities in northern Anatolia. An Avenger Buried with Harpoons and a Child with Bracelets According to excavation director Assoc. Prof. Aslıhan