Preserving Adult, Child, and Cat Mummies at Aşıklı Höyük with Climate Control

The adult, child, and cat mummies found during the 1989 excavations at Aşıklı Höyük are preserved using climate control methods.

Aşıklı Höyük is one of the oldest known settlements in the world, dating back about 12,000 years. This Neolithic site is located near Kızılkaya village in the Gülağaç district of Aksaray.

The Aksaray Museum displays the adult, child, and cat mummies, along with around 1,300 artifacts uncovered during the excavations. Experts carefully maintain and preserve these mummies through climate control techniques.

Fariz Demir, the Deputy Director of Aksaray Museum, explained, “One name for Ihlara Valley is Peristrema Valley, which means Valley of Mummies. Mummification has been a known tradition since the time of the Egyptians. We know about Egyptian mummies, and there is also a mummification tradition in Anatolia. Our museum features mummies from the Byzantine and Ilkhanid periods as well. We showcase adult, child, and animal mummies, along with their related artifacts from various excavation periods.”

Demir highlighted the cat mummy, which attracts significant interest in the museum. He noted that it reflects a tradition that extends from Egypt to Anatolia.

“We perform the care of the mummies in our laboratories,” Demir said. “We conduct general checks here, and experts assist us if any issues arise. We keep the mummies under constant surveillance. We use climate control methods to protect them, maintaining stable temperature and humidity levels to prevent damage. We continuously monitor these levels. When humidity drops, the automatic climate control system activates. This system helps prevent the mummies from drying out, being infested by insects, or suffering other types of damage.”