Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, announced the discovery of an exceptionally well-preserved royal burial chamber dated to the 8th century BCE at the archaeological site of Gordion, where the Penn Museum has been conducting excavations since 1950. The find may be linked to the dynasty of the legendary King Midas, famous […]
Türkiye
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
Human Sacrifices of Teenagers in a Site in Türkiye Reveal the Origins of Inequality in the Bronze Age
At the threshold of written history, when the first civilizations began to consolidate in Mesopotamia and Anatolia, the world experienced radical changes in social structure, economy, and culture. One of the most revealing findings about this process is Basur Höyük, an ancient royal cemetery discovered in eastern Turkey. A recent study reveals that this archaeological […]
Posted inArt, Classical Archaeology
Five Impressive Roman Statues Found in the Ancient City of Perge, Famous for the Quality of Its Sculpture Workshops
As part of the Geleceğe Miras (Legacy for the Future) project, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced a significant archaeological discovery in the ancient Greco-Roman city of Perge, located in the province of Antalya. During excavations carried out in 2025, five sculptures of great historical and artistic value have been uncovered, shedding […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
A Spectacular Roman-Era Bronze Filter for Purifying Beverages Found in Hadrianopolis
At the archaeological site of Hadrianopolis, located in the Black Sea region, a team of researchers has made a discovery that sheds new light on ancient consumption habits. During excavations led by Dr. Ersin Çelikbaş, a professor of Archaeology at Karabük University, a bronze filter was uncovered—an object used during the Roman and Byzantine periods […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology
The remains found in the Octagon Tomb of Ephesus are revealed not to be Cleopatra’s sister but a 14-year-old boy
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 […]
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 […]
