Only Foundations Remain of 2,100-Year-Old Zeus Temple After Looting Damage
A 2,100-year-old Zeus temple in Amasya, recognized as the only known example of its kind in Türkiye’s Black Sea region, has been reduced to little more than its foundation stones, after years of neglect and repeated illegal excavations that have gradually eroded what once stood on one of the area’s most commanding hilltops. Located near
Rare 1,500-Year-Old Knife Set Found Together in Hadrianopolis Reveals Deep Roots of Animal Husbandry
Archaeologists working at Hadrianopolis often referred to as the “Black Sea’s Zeugma” have uncovered a rare knife set found together in a single context, offering new insight into daily life in Late Antiquity. The discovery was made in a kitchen area within the Bath Complex, where four iron knives of similar type but different sizes
Roadworks in Rize Reveal a Hidden 19th-Century Stone Bridge Buried Beneath the City
A historic stone arch bridge in Rize, long buried beneath layers of road construction, has re-emerged during ongoing urban redevelopment works. Dating back to 1826, the structure had remained hidden for decades—preserved beneath asphalt and fill—until recent excavations brought it back into view. The bridge, locally known as the “Çitanın Bridge,” was uncovered along a
600-Year-Old Rock-Cut Ottoman Endowment Inscription Restored in Amasya, Possibly Unique Worldwide
A 600-year-old Ottoman endowment inscription carved directly into natural bedrock has been restored in Amasya, northern Türkiye. Dating to 1418, the Bayezid Pasha foundation text is now readable again after years of damage, and experts say it may represent the only known example of a waqf inscription carved into living rock anywhere in the world.
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