4,500-year-old jar unearthed in Mersin

MERSİN

An ancient structure with a jar, numerous pots and food fossils, dating back to some 4,500 years ago, have been unearthed at the Yumuktepe Höyük (tumulus) in Turkey’s southern coastal city of Mersin.

Isabella Caneva, an archeology professor at Italy’s University of Lecce and the head of the excavation team, told Anadolu Agency that important findings about changes in life, economy, and society in Yumuktepe are being obtained during excavations.

Yumuktepe stands out as one of the oldest settlements in Anatolia with its history dating back to 7,000 BC.
The tumulus, located four kilometers west of the city center, gave important clues about the lifestyles of civilizations, Caneva said, adding that they reached a large building made of adobe on the field.

“There were many potteries inside the building. These pieces belonged to one type of product. These bowls are all the same, mass-produced. There were around 700 bowls in this building. This is a big place for a standard family or restaurant. We think that this is a place where public or ceremonial meals are held or food is distributed to the public,” she said.

The team of 25 also found a 4,500-year-old jar belonging to the Middle Bronze Age, Caneva added.

Yumuktepe Höyuk has been home to many civilizations where skulls from the Hittite period and seals from the Neolithic period were previously found.