International Research Grant Brings Syedra Ancient City’s Theater into the Global Archaeological Spotlight
A major international academic partnership has elevated archaeological research at Syedra, as a joint Turkish–French project led by Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University receives competitive bilateral funding under the Bosphorus Programme.The project is notably the first international bilateral research initiative in the university’s history—marking a milestone for both the institution and the archaeological study of southern
Scientific Study Reveals: The Hittites Practiced an Advanced Hygiene Culture 3,000 Years Ago
Long before modern concepts of sanitation emerged, the Hittites appear to have developed a surprisingly structured and disciplined approach to cleanliness. A new scientific study demonstrates that hygiene in Hittite society was not a marginal habit, but a core element shaping daily life, religious practice, and social order in Late Bronze Age Anatolia. The research,
A Sealed Medieval Reliquary Cross Unearthed at Ancient Lystra in Central Anatolia
Archaeological excavations at Lystra Ancient City, located in central Anatolia, have brought to light a rare Christian artifact: a sealed bronze reliquary cross dating to between the 9th and 11th centuries. The object was discovered intact during excavations in the church area of the ancient settlement, offering valuable insight into medieval Christian belief and burial
T-Shaped Stones Surface Near the Euphrates, Pointing to a Wider Taş Tepeler Network
A newly identified Neolithic site in southeastern Türkiye, near the Upper Euphrates River, is adding weight to the idea that the monumental tradition associated with Göbeklitepe extended far beyond its previously known boundaries. As water levels dropped in the Atatürk Dam reservoir, stone structures began to surface along the shoreline near Kızılöz village in the
A 1,000-Year-Old Fortress Overlooking the Melendiz Plain Still Stands in Central Anatolia
Rising from a sheer rock formation above the Melendiz Plain, the medieval Murtaza Castle continues to dominate the landscape of central Anatolia nearly a millennium after its construction. Located near the village of Murtaza in the Çiftlik district of Niğde, the fortress offers rare insight into how geography, military strategy, and natural topography shaped defensive
Pergamon Find Confirms Feces-Based Medicine Was Practiced in Roman Anatolia
Ancient medical texts often describe remedies that sound implausible—or even shocking—to modern readers. Among the most controversial are treatments based on human waste. Until now, such remedies were known only from written sources. A small Roman glass vessel recovered from Pergamon has changed that picture, offering the first direct chemical evidence that these therapies were
A 4,000-Year-Old Silver Goblet Links Anatolia to the Earliest Visions of Cosmic Order
A small silver cup, unearthed decades ago in the Judean Hills, has returned to the center of scholarly debate—this time with Anatolia firmly in the discussion. Known as the ʿAin Samiya Goblet, the vessel dates to the Intermediate Bronze Age (ca. 2650–1950 BCE) and bears one of the most elaborate mythological compositions known from the
The Most Important Oracle of the Aiolis Region: The 2,300-Year-Old Temple of Apollo Khresterios at Aigai
Hidden deep within a rural valley of western Türkiye, far from modern roads and urban pressure, the Temple of Apollo Khresterios stands as one of the most intact and enigmatic oracle centers of the ancient world. Located near the ancient city of Aigai, the sanctuary played a central role in the religious life of the
New Research Pushes Human Presence in Anatolia Back Nearly One Million Years
Archaeological fieldwork in southeastern Türkiye is reshaping the deep prehistory of Anatolia. New evidence from Gaziantep suggests the region was not merely a corridor for early humans during the Ice Age—but a long-term habitat stretching back close to one million years. A Key Region in Anatolia’s Ice Age Landscape The research is being carried out
Çatalhöyük Study Wins Major Award in Poland: Turkish Scientists Help Redefine Neolithic Social Structure
A groundbreaking study on the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük has received international recognition in Poland, after being selected as the most important foreign archaeological discovery of 2025 by Polish archaeologists. The award highlights research that challenges long-standing assumptions about social organization in early farming communities—placing women at the center of Neolithic life. The distinction was