Ancient settlement found in Cappadocia

NEVŞEHİR - Anadolu Agency

An ancient settlement, dating back to the early Bronze Age, has been unearthed in the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir.

Archaeologists have started examining the field after a little hill was discovered in Çakıltepe, 20 kilometers from the city center.

Works have been carried out in collaboration with the Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University (NEVU) and Nevşehir Museum Directorate.

Teams have searched the field and collected all artifacts found, including glasses, bowls and other historical pieces, in the field, which is on the UNESCO world heritage tentative list and is expected to shed light on the history of Cappadocia.

Yalçın Kamış, an academic at NEVU’s archaeology department and in charge of the Çakıltepe field survey, said the settlement dated back at least 3,000s years and was an important archaeological site.

Kamış said they had also reached the ruins of a 4,000-year-old castle and city walls, where works would start soon.

“In the center of the field is a multi-layered mound from various eras. It is understood that there were Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine-era settlements around the field. We found out that the settlement started here in the early Bronze Age,” he said.

“We are now working on technical issues like mapping the field and finding out its dimensions. Comprehensive excavations will start in May 2018,” he added.