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
2,800-Year-Old Inscriptions from Körzüt Reveal Urartu’s Conquest Strategy and Divine Legitimacy
Newly uncovered 2,800-year-old cuneiform inscriptions from the Körzüt Fortress in eastern Anatolia provide rare, first-hand evidence of how the Kingdom of Urartu justified military expansion through divine authority. Dating to the reign of King Minua, the texts document not only conquest but the ideological language that bound warfare, religion, and state power together. Körzüt Fortress
Carchemish, the Hittites’ Frontier City on the Euphrates, Introduced Through a New Exhibition in Ankara
One of the most strategically important cities of the Hittite world has returned to public view—this time not on the banks of the Euphrates, but in the heart of Türkiye’s capital. A new exhibition titled “Carchemish of the Hittites on the Banks of the Euphrates: New Discoveries and New Perspectives” has opened at the Museum
A Hittite Goddess Vessel from Eskiyapar and the Ritual of “Drinking the God”
The Hittites were among the earliest state-forming societies of Anatolia, shaping their political power alongside an exceptionally complex religious system. Their rituals, preserved on thousands of cuneiform tablets, describe ceremonies rich in symbolism—many of which have long remained difficult to visualize. A small ceramic vessel unearthed at Eskiyapar now offers a rare and tangible glimpse
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