Archaeologists have discovered 4,000-year-old snail shells in western Türkiye

In ongoing excavations at Tavşanlı Mound in western Türkiye archaeologists have discovered 4,000-year-old snail shells.

Tavşanlı Mound, located in the Tavşanlı district of Kütahya, is known as one of the largest Bronze Age settlements in Türkiye.

Numerous artifacts from the Bronze Age, the Assyrian Trade Colonies period, and the Hittite Empire have been uncovered during the excavations at the mound.

The latest discovery of the 4,000-year-old snail shells was made by a team led by Prof. Dr. Erkan Fidan.

It has been reported that analyses will be conducted next year in collaboration with scientists from Istanbul University and Istanbul Technical University to determine the purposes for which the shells were used and to uncover information that could contribute to the field of archaeology.

The shells, found in large quantities, are expected to provide insights not only into the lifestyle of people from that era but also important clues regarding the climatic conditions and environmental structure of ancient times.

This study aims to reveal details such as the shell structure of the snails, mineral accumulation, and carbon isotopes, which could shed light on past temperature and humidity levels.