The end of 2017 was a very intensive period for archaeologists working in Turkey. The biggest news was undoubtedly the discovery of a hidden chapel covered with marvellous frescoes in the famous Sümela Monastery. Moreover, an ancient city with complex burial chambers and temples was found in Erzurum Province while a hammam used by the sultans was discovered in Topkapı Palace during the renovation process.
Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for December 2017. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!
December 1, 2017
Irish man traces smuggled Turkish Islamic artifacts
Irish art historian Mikail Patrick Duggan, who lives in the southern province of Antalya, is working to find Turkish Islamic artifacts that have been smuggled abroad. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Historic towers to rise again in ancient Perge
Two towers in the ancient city of Perge, visited by thousands of tourists every year in the southern Turkish province of Antalya, have been undergoing a restoration process. The original stone blocks of the towers are now being placed in the towers. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Water problems to be eliminated at Göbeklitepe
Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality started drilling a well to supply water to Göbeklitepe, a site believed to be the oldest temple complex in the world and one of Turkey's nominees to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Source: Daily Sabah
December 2, 2017
Ancient city from Urartu civilization discovered in Turkey's eastern Erzurum
An ancient city with complex burial chambers, temples, a settlement and a water tunnel from the Iron Age Urartu civilization has been discovered in Turkey's eastern Erzurum province, reports said Saturday. Source: Daily Sabah
World heritage site Cumalıkızık village attracts 50,000 tourists in northwestern Turkey
With its rich history of 700 years, Cumalıkızık, which is located in northwestern Anatolia region, attracts about 50,000 tourists every weekend as one of the oldest Turkish villages, according to media sources. Source: Daily Sabah
December 4, 2017
Bronze Age artifacts used meteoric iron
You may already be surprised to hear there are iron objects dating back to the Bronze Age, but their meteorite origin is even more astonishing. Though meteorites had already been recognized as one source of this metal, the scientific community couldn’t determine whether they accounted for most or simply a few Bronze Age iron artifacts. Albert Jambon, as part of his work at the Institut de minéralogie, de physique des matériaux et de cosmochimie, has demonstrated that iron used during the Bronze Age is always meteoric and he explained how this practice was abandoned during the Iron Age. Source: Heritage Daily
Three Ottoman-era Qurans discovered in historical Palestinian mosque
Three Qurans published during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II (1876-1908) have been found in a mosque in Palestine's historical town of Tayibe, which currently lies inside Israeli territory. Source: Daily Sabah
A huge rock mass in the ancient city of Aigai, located in the western Turkish province of Manisa, has been broken by treasure hunters. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 5, 2017
Archeologists team up with convicts to excavate ancient site in western Turkey
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is conducting an excavation in the ancient city of Cedreae (Kedrai) on Sedir Island, also known as Cleopatra Island, in Muğla, where a Temple of Apollo, theater and remains of a necropolis attracts around 150,000 local and foreign tourists every year. An excavation team of 25 people, including 15 prisoners, has been working to unearth the buried secrets of the ancient site. Source: Daily Sabah
Turkey refers to FBI for Zeugma mosaics
Turkey is demanding that the 12 Zeugma mosaics, dating back to the 2nd century A.D. and is being exhibited at the Wolfe Art Center in the U.S., should be returned to Turkey. Turkish authorities have asked for help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for their repatriation. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
2,800 year-old Urartian stele discovered in Turkey's eastern Van
A 2,800-year-old stele from the ancient Urartu civilization which had been missing for the past 120 years has been found in Turkey's eastern Van province, reports said Tuesday. Source: Daily Sabah
Ancient Urartian settlement found in eastern Turkey
Archaeological excavations have unearthed a settlement, rock tombs, temple and a 50-meter-deep water tunnel in the eastern province of Erzurum’s Dumlu neighborhood. The settlement is believed to date back to the Urartian Kingdom. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 6, 2017
Turkey’s Culture Ministry spends 90 mln liras on archaeological works
Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry spent nearly 90 million Turkish Liras on archaeological excavations and researches this year. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 8, 2017
Prisoners excavate in ancient Kedrai
An excavation team made up of 25 people, includes 15 prisoners who have been working to reveal historical artifacts in the ancient city of Kedrai on Sedir Island, also known as Cleopatra Island, off the western province of Muğla. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 9, 2017
Hieroglyphic Inscriptions Illuminate the Demise of the Hittites
Eight Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions each more than 3,000 years old have been published for the first time, thereby significantly increasing at one stroke the number of transmitted signs dating to the Bronze Age from this long-forgotten script. Source: Heritage Daily
December 12, 2017
Drought causes Seljuk-era inn to emerge from dam
The ruins of an 816-year-old Seljuk inn have emerged from the waters of the Altınapa dam, which provides drinking water to the Central Anatolian province of Konya. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 14, 2017
Marble column pieces dating back to Roman era uncovered in western Turkey
1,500-year-old historical remains dating back to the Late Roman period was discovered by municipality workers during sewerage work in western Turkey's Denizli province on Thursday. Source: Daily Sabah
Frescoes, mosaics in Hagia Sophia of Trabzon to be revealed
A church converted into a mosque in the Black Sea province of Trabzon will be renovated to reveal the frescoes and mosaics covered behind wooden shutters. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 15, 2017
Sultans’ bath discovered in Topkapı Palace
A Turkish hamam used as a bath by five Ottoman Sultans has been uncovered during restorations in Topkapı Palace — the most famous of the sultans’ residences and administrative centers in Istanbul. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Viking statue seized from man traveling from Bodrum to Istanbul
Gendarmerie forces on Dec. 14 seized a historic Viking statue from a man traveling on a bus on the Söke-Milas highway in western Turkey. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Ottoman-era bath, underground bazaar discovered in northern Turkey
A Turkish bath and an underground bazaar were discovered Friday during pavement works in northern Turkey's Çorum province. Source: Daily Sabah
December 16, 2017
13th century complex offers a glimpse of Seljuk architecture, medical practices
Located in central Anatolia, in modern-day Kayseri, the Gevher Nesibe Medical Complex offers insight into the medical techniques of the 13th century. Source: Daily Sabah
December 18, 2017
Ancient settlement sought near Istanbul's oldest burial site
The metro excavation site located in Istanbul's Beşiktaş district, where 3,500-year-old cairn-type sepulchers were discovered, is most likely home to an ancient settlement, the head of Istanbul's Archaeological Museums said Monday. Source: Daily Sabah
December 20, 2017
Excavations reveal ancient Germanicia
The ancient city of Germanicia, which was discovered 10 years ago in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş, is progressing to become the Ephesus of the region. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 21, 2017
Achilles’ sword, Alexander bust among record Turkish police haul of 26,456 ancient artifacts
In an operation spanning four cities including Istanbul, authorities seized 26,456 smuggled artifacts. Dubbed the biggest operation against artifact smugglers, the operation netted 19 suspects. Source: Daily Sabah
Construction workers discover underground city in central Turkey's Çorum
Construction workers in Turkey's central Çorum province have discovered a tunnel, which is thought to be an underground city in the past, reports said Thursday. Source: Daily Sabah
December 22, 2017
Ancient settlement found in Cappadocia
Archaeologists from the Hacı Bektaş University in the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir have unearthed a Bronze Age settlement in Cappadocia. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Ottoman-era ceramics, coins found during construction work in western Turkey
Ceramics and coins dating back to late 19th century Ottoman period were found Friday during construction work in western Turkey's Çanakkale province. Source: Daily Sabah
Secret tunnel discovered in Sümela Monastery
Two years of restoration works in the Sümela Monastery located in the northeastern province of Trabzon have unearthed a field in the upper right side of its northern roof. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 24, 2017
İzmit’s historic Karaburç to be restored
Karaburç castle and its historic walls, which have traces of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras in the northwestern province of Kocaeli’s İzmit district, will undergo restoration. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
3,600-year-old rare Hittite seal discovered in central Turkey on display for first time
The invaluable bronze seal, which was allegedly used in correspondences between a Hittite king and his scribe, had been confiscated in 2015 by police in Turkey's central Çorum province, as smugglers were trying to sell it to collaborators abroad. Source: Daily Sabah
December 25, 2017
Ottoman shop unearthed in Central Anatolia
A historical structure has been unearthed during infrastructure works carried out in the central Anatolian province of Çorum. Works have been ongoing to bring the Ottoman-era structure to light in the İskilip district. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 26, 2017
Restoration in Aydos almost finished
The Aydos Castle in Sultanbeyli, known as the place where the conquest of Istanbul started, will be open to tourism in 2018, immediately after restoration in the castle ends. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Farmer discovers 2,000-year-old Hermes statuette in Turkey’s Çorum
A farmer from Turkey's central Çorum province found a 2,000-year-old statuette dating back to the Roman period while working in the field, a report said Tuesday. Source: Daily Sabah
Farmer discovers 2,000 year-old terracota jar in Turkey's Malatya province
A 2,000-year-old terracotta jar from the Roman Period has been discovered by a farmer in Turkey's eastern Malatya province, reports said Monday. Source: Daily Sabah
Turkey requests France return tiles stolen from Sultan Selim II’s tomb at Hagia Sophia
Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has requested that France return china tiles stolen from Sultan Selim II's tomb at the Hagia Sophia during a so-called restoration in the 1890s. Source: Daily Sabah
December 27, 2017
German Archaeologists Find Collection of Ancient Clay Seals in Turkey
Archaeologists from the University of Münster, Germany, have unearthed a large collection of 1,800-year-old clay seals, or bullae, at the ancient city of Doliche, which was part of the province of Syria in Roman times. Source: Sci News
December 28, 2017
Over 70 pct of 5,000-year-old Perga city in southern Turkey still underground
Around 70 percent of the 5,000-year-old ancient city of Perga in Turkey's southern Antalya province remains underground to be discovered, as archaeologists continue excavations to reveal its hidden beauties. Source: Daily Sabah
Topkapı Palace gets most comprehensive makeover in its history
Istanbul’s Topkapı Palace has been entirely restored with a budget of 300 million Turkish Liras. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
December 30, 2017
Golden crown of Hecatomnus to be returned
A golden crown stolen in 392 B.C. from the burial chamber of Hecatomnus in the Aegean town of Milas and later smuggled to Scotland is set to return to Turkey. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Chapel discovered during renovations at Sümela Monastery in Turkey's Trabzon
A chapel only accessible through a hidden passage has been discovered during the restoration of historic Sümela Monastery in Turkey's northern Trabzon province on the Black Sea coast. Source: Daily Sabah
