Monday, October 20 2025

Category: Southeastern Anatolia

3,300-Year-Old Hittite Tablets and Official Seals Unearthed at Oylum Höyük Reveal a Lost Administrative Center

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

Daily Life Unearthed at Karahantepe: Over 30 Neolithic Dwellings Discovered

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

Roman-Era Settlement Unearthed in Adıyaman’s Mountains May Have Been a Large-Scale Wine Production Center

Roman-Era Settlement Unearthed in Adıyaman’s Mountains May Have Been a Large-Scale Wine Production Center

Archaeologists in southeastern Türkiye have identified a vast 4th-century Roman settlement in the mountains of Adıyaman’s Gerger district, revealing evidence of industrial-scale wine production and rural life on the empire’s eastern frontier. The discovery, made by the Adıyaman Museum Directorate near Oymaklı village, spans roughly 150 dönüms (15 hectares) of rugged terrain overlooking the Kahta

1,500-Year-Old Mosaic Unearthed Beneath a Historic Mill in Midyat May

1,500-Year-Old Mosaic Unearthed Beneath a Historic Mill in Midyat May Reveal Early Byzantine Administrator’s Residence

A 1,500-year-old mosaic floor discovered beneath a historic mill in southeastern Türkiye’s Midyat district may have once belonged to an early Byzantine official named Tittos Domestikos.The find marks the first mosaic ever uncovered along the Midyat–Nusaybin corridor, a region better known for its ancient fortresses and caravanserais. The discovery was made in Sivrice (Beyazsu area),

3,000-Year-Old Public Building Unearthed in Soğmatar, the Sacred City of the Moon God Sin

3,000-Year-Old Public Building Unearthed in Soğmatar, the Sacred City of the Moon God Sin

Archaeologists in southeastern Türkiye have unearthed a 3,000-year-old public building in Soğmatar, an ancient sanctuary dedicated to the Moon God Sin. The discovery, made under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s “Heritage for the Future Project”, pushes the history of the site back to the Neo-Assyrian period, revealing new layers in the spiritual and administrative

Unique Architectural Detail Unveiled: The “Fingerprint Dome” of Saint George Church Reopens in Diyarbakır

Unique Architectural Detail Unveiled: The “Fingerprint Dome” of Saint George Church Reopens in Diyarbakır

The 1,800-year-old Saint George Church in Diyarbakır has reopened after a meticulous restoration, revealing a striking architectural feature: a brick dome resembling a human fingerprint. Believed to carry the personal mark of its ancient architect, the structure is drawing thousands of visitors and renewed global attention. Located within the historic İçkale Museum Complex, the Saint

Archaeologists have uncovered a T-shaped pillar carved with a human face at the Neolithic site of Karahantepe in southeastern Türkiye — a discovery described as a first in human history. The finding was announced by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy on his official X (Twitter) account, where he wrote: “Karahantepe — A first in history! Within the scope of our Taş Tepeler Project, a T-shaped pillar with a human face has been unearthed for the first time.” The discovery forms part of the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) Project, a long-term archaeological initiative led by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which explores the earliest stages of human settlement and symbolic expression in the Şanlıurfa region. A Turning Point in Neolithic Symbolism For decades, the T-shaped pillars of Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe have been interpreted as stylized human figures, primarily due to the carved arms and hands visible on many examples. Yet, this new pillar — the first to bear a carved human face — marks a major leap in understanding how early Neolithic societies perceived themselves. The pillar’s face, featuring deep-set eyes, a pronounced nose, and sharp contours, resembles other human sculptures from Karahantepe. Experts say the find reflects not only the craftsmanship of early Anatolian communities but also their emerging capacity for abstract and self-referential thought. From Symbol to Identity Until now, these T-shaped monoliths were thought to serve either as structural elements or abstract human representations. The new find, however, provides the first direct depiction of the human visage, offering a rare glimpse into the earliest stages of self-image in human history. Karahantepe and the Taş Tepeler Network Dating back approximately 12,000 years, Karahantepe is one of several interconnected sites in the Taş Tepeler region, which also includes Göbeklitepe, Sefertepe, Sayburç, Harbetsuvan Tepesi, and Çakmaktepe. These settlements continue to reshape our understanding of humanity’s transition from nomadic life to organized, temple-centered communities. Together, they position Anatolia as one of the earliest centers of symbolic architecture and spiritual innovation.

A Historic First at Karahantepe: Human-Faced T-Shaped Pillar Unearthed in Türkiye

Archaeologists have uncovered a T-shaped pillar carved with a human face at the Neolithic site of Karahantepe in southeastern Türkiye — a discovery described as a first in human history. The finding was announced by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy on his official X (Twitter) account, where he wrote: “Karahantepe — A

Çayönü excavation, Neolithic burials Turkey, Early Bronze Age graves, Diyarbakır archaeology, Ergani mound, 11,000-year-old skeleton, Anatolian prehistory, Neolithic Anatolia, Bronze Age Anatolia, Çayönü Tepesi

5,000- and 11,000-Year-Old Burials Unearthed at Çayönü: Shedding Light on Neolithic and Bronze Age Anatolia

Archaeologists working at the Neolithic settlement mound of Çayönü, in Ergani district of Diyarbakır, Türkiye, have unearthed six ancient burials—five from the Early Bronze Age, about 5,000 years old, and one dating back 11,000 years to the Neolithic period. The discovery provides crucial evidence of how one of humanity’s earliest farming communities buried and remembered

Human-Statue-Gobeklitepe

12,000-Year-Old Human Statue Unearthed at Göbekli Tepe

Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has announced the discovery of a human statue embedded in a wall at Göbekli Tepe, the world’s oldest known temple complex in southeastern Türkiye. The artifact, believed to have been placed as a votive offering, is expected to provide groundbreaking insights into Neolithic rituals and belief

12 Ancient Human Skulls Unearthed at Sefertepe

12 Ancient Human Skulls Unearthed at Sefertepe, Offering New Insights into Neolithic Rituals

Archaeologists excavating the prehistoric site of Sefertepe in southeastern Türkiye have uncovered 12 additional human skulls dating back approximately 10,500 years. The discovery, part of the landmark “Taş Tepeler” (Stone Hills) project, sheds new light on Neolithic ritual practices in the region. Sefertepe, one of the key Neolithic sites under the “Şanlıurfa Neolithic Research Project

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