Fishing Net Snags Possible Ancient Jar as Water Levels Drop in Lake İznik
A routine morning on Lake İznik turned unexpectedly archaeological this week, when a fisherman’s net surfaced not with carp or perch—but with what appears to be a historic clay jar. The incident occurred along the shores of Göllüce, a neighborhood on the western edge of the lake in Bursa, northwestern Türkiye. As drought conditions continue
Site of Ottoman Founder Osman I’s Lost House Identified and Registered in Bilecik, Türkiye
The building no longer survives. It was likely destroyed during the upheaval of the early 20th century. Yet in 2025, Turkish authorities formally registered the exact location traditionally identified as the house of Osman I, founder of the Ottoman state, inside the Sheikh Edebali Complex in Bilecik, northwestern Türkiye. The registration covers a 40-square-meter area,
A Rare “Good Shepherd” Depiction Emerges from a Hypogeum Tomb in İznik
A quiet corner of Hisardere Nekropolü in İznik has produced a discovery that specialists are calling one of the most remarkable Early Christian finds in recent years: a painted “Good Shepherd” (Çoban İsa) figure, believed to be the only example of its kind ever documented in Anatolia. The scene was uncovered inside a carefully constructed
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 Coastal Excavations at Perinthos Reveal Signs of Shell Processing on the Marmara Shore
Archaeologists working along the northern shores of the Sea of Marmara have uncovered compelling clues to a little-known aspect of daily life in ancient Perinthos. Recent excavations at Mola Burnu—one of the least explored corners of the ancient city—have brought to light a dense concentration of pierced mussel shells, carefully carved bone hairpins, and multiperiod
A Roman Mosaic Found 11 Years Ago in Iznik Is Finally Being Revealed: The Askania Figure Emerges
A remarkable discovery in northwest Türkiye is resurfacing after more than a decade. In 2014, workers laying a sewer line in Iznik (ancient Nicaea) briefly uncovered part of a Roman mosaic floor before the area was sealed and placed under protection. What appeared to be a single decorated panel has now, after 11 years, turned
“Lonidos” Inscribed Seat Discovered in 5,000-Year-Old Ancient Theatre
In Bursa, Türkiye, the Helenistic Apollonia ad Rhyndacum Ancient Theatre has revealed a seat inscribed with “Lonidos,” dating back to the Roman period. According to excavation director Prof. Dr. Derya Şahin, restoring the seating to its original positions is helping the 5,000-year-old theatre regain its long-lost form. Excavations at the Apollonia ad Rhyndacum Ancient Theatre
Forgotten Neolithic Settlement in Bilecik: 9,000 Years of History Hidden Beneath the Grass
In western Türkiye, an archaeological discovery once hailed as a milestone in Neolithic research now lies buried under weeds. The 9,000-year-old settlement unearthed in Bilecik’s Bahçelievler district — among the earliest known farming communities of western Anatolia — has been left unprotected, sparking calls from historians and locals to transform it into an open-air museum
19th-Century Silk Workshop Unearthed in the Ancient City of Apollonia ad Rhyndacum, Bursa
Archaeologists in northwestern Türkiye have uncovered a 19th-century silk workshop hidden within the ruins of Simitçi Castle, part of the ancient city of Apollonia ad Rhyndacum in Bursa’s Gölyazı neighborhood. The find reveals a rare continuity between the city’s ancient industrial past and Bursa’s later fame as the “City of Silk.” Led by Prof. Derya
In the 1700th Anniversary of Christianity’s Recognition as an Official Religion, the Basilica Beneath Lake İznik (Nicaea) Opens to Visitors
On the 1700th anniversary of Christianity’s recognition as an official religion, an early Christian basilica submerged beneath Lake İznik (ancient Nicaea, northwestern Türkiye) has officially opened to visitors.Discovered in 2014 through aerial photography and later named one of the Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries of the Year by the Archaeological Institute of America, the site now