The 9,000-Year-Old Figurines of Gürcütepe Illuminate Life After Göbeklitepe
The first light over the Harran Plain has a way of turning everything into pale gold. From a distance, Gürcütepe looks like nothing more than a gentle rise in the landscape—quiet, unassuming, easy to miss. Yet beneath its surface lies one of the most revealing chapters in the story of how early societies redefined themselves
An amphitheater-like Neolithic structure has been uncovered at Karahantepe in southeastern Türkiye
Archaeologists in southeastern Türkiye have brought to light a striking Neolithic structure at Karahantepe—a circular, amphitheater-like building carved into bedrock and lined with tiered stone benches, human sculptures, and sculpted heads emerging from its walls. The find opens an unexpected window onto how some of the world’s earliest settled communities gathered, communicated, and expressed shared
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
Rare Roman Period Columbariums Discovered in Şanlıurfa Being Documented
Roman Era columbariums have been discovered in Şanlıurfa, home to unique archaeological sites such as Göbekli Tepe and Karahantepe, described as the “zero point of civilization.” The rare Roman Era columbariums discovered in Senem Caves in the Haliliye district and in a citizen’s garden in Bozova are being recorded as part of the Cultural Inventory
Urfa Man: The First Life-Size Sculpture in Human History
‘Urfa Man’ (also known as Balıklıgöl Statue) was unearthed in 1993 during a road work in Yeni Mahalle in Şanlıurfa city centre. Dating back approximately 11,500 years to the Neolithic period, this impressive artifact reveals the artistic skills and belief systems of people from that era. Features of the Urfa Man Statue: The limestone statue,
Unique rock tomb discovered by chance in the courtyard of a house in southeastern Türkiye
Şanlıurfa, located in southeastern Türkiye, has added a new mysterious page to its historical record. A 2300-year-old rock tomb, discovered by chance in the courtyard of a house, sheds light on the city’s thousands of years of history. This significant discovery, announced by Şanlıurfa Governor Hasan Şıldak, once again revealed the region’s rich cultural heritage.
The 12,000-Year Neolithic World of Göbekli Tepe Animated
Step into the enigmatic world of Göbekli Tepe and embark on a journey 12,000 years into the past, to a time when the world’s oldest temples rose. This unique experience, brought to life through captivating animations, allows you to unravel the mysteries of the Neolithic era. Göbekli Tepe, located near Örencik village in the Haliliye
Ritual dog graves associated with the goddess Gula have been uncovered at the Harran archaeological site
In the Harran archaeological site, one of the oldest settlements in the world located in southeastern Türkiye, four dog graves dating back to the Iron Age have been uncovered. The ritualistically buried dogs are interpreted as a sign of belief in the healing goddess Gula. The Harran archaeological site, which is on the UNESCO World
A tabula ansata featuring a bilingual inscription, found in front of a burial chamber adorned with the monogram of Jesus Christ, was restored
A bilingual inscription tabula ansata located in front of a burial chamber adorned with the monogram of Jesus Christ, found in the Kızılkoyun necropolis in Şanlıurfa, has been restored and returned to its original position. Kızılkoyun Necropolis is located in the Balıklıgöl plateau of Şanlıurfa. It bears traces of Hellenistic and Roman-Byzantine periods with tombs
Two 10,000-year-old ornaments with leopard, vulture and human figures found in Sefertepe excavations
During the ongoing excavations at Sefertepe in Şanlıurfa, two ornaments, one with a leopard, the other with a vulture and human figures, dating back to approximately 10 thousand years ago, were discovered. The excavations at Sefertepe are being carried out within the scope of the “Stone Hills” project under the direction of Assoc. Prof. Dr.