An interdisciplinary team led by anthropologist Gerhard Weber from the University of Vienna, together with experts from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, has concluded, after analyzing a skull discovered in 1929 in the ruins of the Octagon Tomb of Ephesus in Turkey, that the remains belong to a boy aged between 11 and 14 with […]
Türkiye
Posted inClassical Archaeology
Roman Strategy Game Pieces Found in Hadrianopolis
Excavations in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, located in the Eskipazar district of Karabük, Turkey, have recently revealed objects of historical interest. Among the most notable finds of 2024 are pieces used in the games Ludus Latrunculorum (literally, game of the robbers, likely based on an earlier Greek game called petteia mentioned in The Odyssey) […]
Posted inAntiquity, Travel
Hadrian’s Granary in the Forgotten Port of Andriake
Andriake, located on the southwestern coast of Anatolia (in present-day Demre, Turkey), was the main port of ancient Myra, one of the most influential cities in the Lycian Confederation. Myra, famous for its Greek theater and rock-cut necropolises in the mountain cliffs, was also home to a prominent bishopric, with its most famous representative being […]
Posted inArchaeology
An Ancient Phrygian Inscription to the Mother of the Gods Deciphered on the Arslan Kaya Monument, Revealing Lydian Construction
In the remote highlands of Phrygia, Professor Mark Munn of Pennsylvania State University has deciphered part of the inscription on the Arslan Kaya monument, also known as the “Lion Rock.” This finding confirms the mention of Materan —an ancient name of the Mother Goddess, or the Mother of the Gods— on the monument, suggesting a […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
An Aqueduct in the Ancient Ionian City of Lebedos Reveals Advanced Pre-Roman Water Management Systems in Anatolia
A group of Turkish and Spanish scientists has revealed the results of an archaeological study in western Turkey that challenges the accepted historical dates of an aqueduct near the ancient city of Lebedos, one of the twelve Ionian cities of Anatolia. The research, recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, used uranium-thorium (U-Th) […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
The Cause of the Abandonment of Elaiussa Sebaste, One of the Main Roman Commercial Harbours in the Mediterranean, Revealed
A recent study published in the Journal of Quaternary Science has revealed the causes behind the abandonment of the ancient harbours of Elaiussa Sebaste, a coastal city that was once one of the most prosperous trading centers in the eastern Mediterranean. The study, conducted by an interdisciplinary team led by Romana Melis, employed advanced geoarchaeological […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
Remains of the Seljuk Headquarters Found at the Battlefield of Manzikert, Where They Defeated the Byzantines in 1071
Archaeological excavations at the historic Battle of Manzikert battlefield (modern-day Malazgirt in Turkey), where the Seljuks defeated the Byzantine Empire in 1071, opening the gates of Anatolia, continue to reveal important discoveries. The project, which began in 2020 with support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is advancing into its second phase in 2024. […]
Posted inStone Age Archaeology
The Zagros Mountains were the place where Neanderthals and modern humans interbred
An international team of researchers has used innovative ecological modeling techniques to identify, for the first time, the possible geographical areas where Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans might have encountered and interbred tens of thousands of years ago. The study, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, highlights the crucial role played by certain geographical […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
Fascinating Millefiori Glass Plaques from the 5th Century AD Found in the Ancient Lycian Port of Andriake
In the heart of Antalya province, Türkiye, lie the ancient Lycian city of Myra and its port, Andriake, where it is believed that Saint Paul and his fellow prisoners were embarked on their way to Italy. Recently, excavations by Akdeniz University at the site revealed a remarkable find: millefiori (“A Thousand Flowers”) glass plaques . […]
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
A Dagger from the Minoan Civilization of Crete Found in a Bronze Age Shipwreck
Under the direction of Professor Dr. Hakan Öniz, head of the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Properties at the Faculty of Fine Arts at Akdeniz University, a team of archaeologists has made an extraordinary discovery: a bronze dagger with silver rivets, approximately 3,600 years old. This finding, made at underwater sites off the […]
