The excavations at Asarkale are expected to shed light on the history of the region from the Hellenistic period to the present

The archaeological excavations that have begun at Asarkale, located in Samsun province in Türkiye’s Eastern Black Sea region, are expected to shed light on the history of the area from the Hellenistic period to the present.

Asarkale was built by King VI. Mithradates Eupator of Pontus. It is known as one of the 56 castles from the period of the Pontus Kingdom in Anatolia.

Archaeological excavations at Asarkale were initiated for the first time this year.

The excavations are being conducted by a team led by archaeologist Kenan Sürül, the Director of the Samsun Archaeology Museum.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kasım Oyarçin, a faculty member of the Department of Archaeology at Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMÜ) and the scientific advisor of the excavation, stated that architects and survey engineers began working on the documentation of Asarkale in August.”

Oyarçin stated that due to the dense agricultural areas around the Kızılırmak Delta, Asarkale historically held a position that controlled agriculture and trade.

He mentioned, ‘We plan to carry out works such as mapping the castle and documenting its structure. Ultimately, we will prepare a restoration project. If the restoration project is implemented, it will not only prevent the walls from collapsing but also allow us to present Asarkale beautifully to future generations. If our project is approved, people will be able to visit the castle comfortably. We are considering building a glass terrace at the end of the tour route.’

The excavation team expects to uncover artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods at Asarkale.

Significant artifacts from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods are being found on the surface. As the work focuses on deeper layers, it is anticipated that materials from the Roman and Hellenistic periods will also be discovered.