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2,000-Year-Old Tombs in Hierapolis Restored to Their Original Form

Aegean . Anatolian News

2,000-Year-Old Tombs in Hierapolis Restored to Their Original Form

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Archaeologists have completed a 100% authentic restoration in the Northern Necropolis of the ancient city of Hierapolis, revealing the grandeur of Anatolia’s most impressive “city of the dead.” Archaeologists in Türkiye have completed the full restoration of 2,000-year-old tombs in the Northern Necropolis of Hierapolis—one of the largest and best-preserved ancient burial grounds in the

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

Transformation Through Time: A Roman Hospital Turned Byzantine Church in Kaunos

Transformation Through Time: A Roman Hospital Turned Byzantine Church in Kaunos

Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Kaunos, located in Türkiye’s southwestern Muğla province, have revealed a rare architectural transformation spanning over a millennium.Researchers uncovered a Byzantine church built directly atop a Roman-era hospital complex, shedding light on how this coastal Carian settlement evolved from a center of healing into a place of faith. UNESCO-listed

Seljuk Traces in St. Paul’s Lystra: Oldest Examples of the Evil Eye Bead Found

Seljuk Traces in St. Paul’s Lystra: Oldest Examples of the Evil Eye Bead Found

Archaeological excavations in Lystra, the ancient city known from the Bible as one of the places visited by St. Paul the Apostle, have revealed Seljuk-era traces and turquoise-colored “evil eye” beads inside children’s graves. Researchers believe these beads represent a cultural bridge — where Turkic beliefs merged with earlier Anatolian traditions, giving birth to the

Anatolia’s Ancient Taste: 8,600-Year-Old Bread and 4,000-Year-Old Chickpeas Unearthed in Türkiye

Anatolia’s Ancient Taste: 8,600-Year-Old Bread and 4,000-Year-Old Chickpeas Unearthed in Türkiye

Archaeological excavations supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism have brought to light the ancient taste of Anatolia, revealing extraordinary traces of the region’s early culinary and agricultural traditions. From 4,000-year-old chickpeas in Kütahya to 8,600-year-old bread remnants in Konya, these discoveries show how ancient communities cultivated, prepared, and ritualized food thousands of

Archaeologists Identify the Burial Chamber of Georgian King Ashot the Great at Gevhernik Castle

Archaeologists Identify the Burial Chamber of Georgian King Ashot the Great at Gevhernik Castle

Archaeologists working at Gevhernik Castle in Ardanuç, northeastern Türkiye, have identified a vaulted burial chamber beneath the apse of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, believed to be the long-lost tomb of Georgian King Ashot I (Ashot the Great, Kuropalates) — a pivotal ruler in the formation of medieval Georgia.The discovery provides the first

Echoes of the First City-State in Anatolia: Arslantepe’s 5,500-Year-Old Seal Exhibited for the First Time

Echoes of the First City-State in Anatolia: Arslantepe’s 5,500-Year-Old Seal Exhibited for the First Time

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Arslantepe Mound in eastern Türkiye is once again in the spotlight — this time for two extraordinary artifacts that bridge the dawn of civilization with the modern age. As part of the Culture Route Festival organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the “102 Artifacts for the

Colossae

The Ancient City of Colossae Yields 2,200-Year-Old Rock-Cut Necropolis in Western Türkiye

Archaeologists have unearthed 60 bathtub-type rock-cut tombs dating back more than 2,200 years in the ancient city of Colossae (modern Honaz, Denizli) — a once-flourishing Phrygian, Roman, and Byzantine center long buried beneath the foothills of Mount Honaz in western Türkiye. The discovery marks the first systematic excavation ever carried out in Colossae, led by

Fifteen New Lamassu Unearthed in Nineveh: German Team Uncovers Stunning Reliefs in Ancient Assyrian Palace

Fifteen New Lamassu Unearthed in Nineveh: German Team Uncovers Stunning Reliefs in Ancient Assyrian Palace

Archaeologists have uncovered fifteen monumental lamassu and newly preserved bas-reliefs inside a Neo-Assyrian military palace at Tell Nabi Yunus, within the ancient city of Nineveh — one of Mesopotamia’s most powerful capitals.The findings, announced by the University of Heidelberg’s German archaeological mission, come just weeks after the revelation of a six-meter-tall colossal winged bull, the

Gökhöyük

Unbroken Life Through the Ages: 8,000 Years of Continuous Settlement Unearthed at Gökhöyük in Konya

Archaeologists in Türkiye’s central province of Konya have uncovered evidence of an extraordinary 8,000-year span of continuous human habitation at Gökhöyük (also known as Kanal Höyük), located in the Seydişehir district. First identified by British archaeologist James Mellaart in 1954, the site reveals settlement layers dating from the 7th millennium BCE to the 1st millennium

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

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