July 2026 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Sat, 08/01/2026 - 13:03

July 2026 was another remarkable month for archaeology in Türkiye, with discoveries ranging from the Neolithic to the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Among the standout finds were a hoard of 50 Persian gold coins buried around 2,500 years ago at Notion, a rare 5,000-year-old Bronze Age temple with altars and sacred hearths at Tadım Höyük, and the identification of a long-misunderstood temple at Yalvaç as a sanctuary dedicated to the Anatolian goddess Hecate. Excavations also revealed the remains of the lost church associated with the First Council of Nicaea beneath the Iznik Basilica, a 2,000-year-old Roman road at Aspendos, an impressive Roman swimming pool, and a beautifully preserved Poseidon mosaic at Tralleis, while work at Türkmen Karahöyük produced a 3,500-year-old Luwian seal and a Late Roman gold amulet.

Important research shed new light on ancient trade, climate and daily life, including Early Bronze Age obsidian from the Greek island of Melos at Çaltılar Höyük, evidence that olives once grew around Kültepe 5,000 years ago, and a rare Byzantine twin burial uncovered at Ephesus. Archaeological projects across Ani, Tyana, Karahantepe, Oylum Höyük, and Pompeiopolis continued to expand knowledge of Türkiye's rich past, while restored monuments and museums, including the Macedonian Tower, Hıdırlık Tower, Topkapı Palace's Serbethane and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, made newly conserved heritage accessible to visitors. The month also saw Türkiye recover the long-lost 13th panel of the famous Zeugma 'Gypsy Girl' mosaic from the United States, underscoring the country's ongoing efforts to protect and reunite its archaeological heritage.

Hıdırlık Tower and archaeopark in Antalya, July 2026

June 2026 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 06/30/2026 - 18:15

June 2026 brought a remarkable series of discoveries that expanded our understanding of Anatolia's deep past. Among the most significant was the identification of a prehistoric painted cave in Malatya's Tohma Canyon, containing nearly 100 human and animal figures as well as geometric symbols, a find that could become one of the most important examples of prehistoric rock art in Türkiye. Equally significant was the announcement from Çemka Höyük in southeastern Türkiye, where 12,000-year-old clay container fragments suggest that pottery technology emerged through much earlier experimentation than previously believed. Archaeologists also uncovered four 8,000-year-old headless female figurines at Kanlıtaş Höyük, offering new insights into Neolithic ritual practices, while research around Mount Nemrut in Bitlis revealed evidence of Palaeolithic occupation, including caves, obsidian workshops and raw material sources. Another striking discovery came from Lifos Mountain near Kayseri, where snowmelt exposed a previously unknown ancient walled sanctuary and settlement complex at an altitude of 2,500 meters.

The month also yielded essential discoveries from later periods. Excavations at Aspendos uncovered a rare third-century CE mosaic depicting the river god Eurymedon, while work at Hadrianopolis in Karabük revealed a 1,750-year-old pithos tomb, the first known example of its type in the inland western Black Sea region. At Blaundos, archaeologists identified a restricted sacred area within a 1,900-year-old temple, shedding new light on local religious practices. Researchers at Termessos documented inscriptions relating to the city's independence and ancient divination rituals, and scholars working at Side advanced the decipherment of the long-lost Sidetic language by identifying 31 letters of its alphabet. Finally, excavations beneath Niksar Castle brought to light an 1,800-year-old Roman arsenal, while a 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablet from Kültepe, preserved inside its original clay envelope, was successfully read without breaking the seal, demonstrating how modern technology continues to reveal new information from some of Anatolia's oldest written records.

Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for June 2026. Have we missed anything? Please let us know by using Contact tab!

Arasta Bazaar in Istanbul

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 06/16/2026 - 11:06

Behind the soaring domes and slender minarets of the Blue Mosque lies a street that seems to whisper rather than shout. While most visitors rush toward Istanbul's grand monuments, Arasta Bazaar waits quietly in their shadow. If the Blue Mosque is the city's majestic face, Arasta is its practical heartbeat — the marketplace that helped keep the great imperial complex alive. Established in the early 17th century as part of the mosque's endowment system, the bazaar's rental income helped finance the maintenance of the newly built mosque and its charitable institutions.

Fourth Military Gate of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 06/09/2026 - 08:44

The Fourth Military Gate stands immediately to the south of the modern Millet Street (frequently referred to as Turgut Özal Boulevard). It is a lesser-known yet fascinating part of Constantinople's Theodosian Land Walls. It is located between the Gate of Rhegion (Yeni Mevlevihane Gate) in the south and the Gate of St. Romanus (Topkapı) in the north. Although the gate is currently blocked and inaccessible to the public, it remains an important testament to Byzantine military architecture and urban planning.

Theodosian Land Walls near the Fourth Military Gate

May 2026 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Mon, 06/01/2026 - 10:04

May 2026 brought a remarkable mix of discoveries and research across Türkiye, from a possible set of nearly 4,000-year-old wooden doors at Seyitömer Höyük to a 3,500-year-old Hittite stamp seal at Aşağıseyit Höyük that sheds new light on relations between the Hittite kingdom and western Anatolia. Archaeologists also uncovered a Roman-period rock-cut tomb in Hatay, eight Roman tombs and associated remains at Soli Pompeipolis, and a monumental tomb with the sarcophagus of a likely aristocratic woman at Olympos. New studies revealed sophisticated Lydian urban engineering at Sardis, the first direct epigraphic evidence of Roman businessmen operating in Teos, and a Hellenistic Mother Goddess stele near İzmir that may point to a previously unknown rural sanctuary.

At Perge, excavations uncovered a "guillotine gate" system and evidence that the city's stadium was later adapted for amphitheatrical spectacles, while at Apollonia ad Rhyndacum researchers identified a Roman-era strategy game board carved into the city walls. Renewed work at Canhasan suggested the 9,000-year-old settlement may hold clues to the symbolic traditions that later flourished at Çatalhöyük, and finds from Tatarlı Höyük offered rare evidence of household beliefs surrounding motherhood and childcare in Hellenistic Cilicia. Meanwhile, innovative methods entered the field as artificial intelligence helped reconnect fragmented Hittite cuneiform tablets and a new Turkish underwater robot was tested to support future maritime archaeology.