Archaeology season opens in Türkiye

ISTANBUL

Almost all of the 240 scientific excavations, caried out under the direction of Turkish and foreign scientists and museum directorates with the permission of the Culture and Tourism Ministry started in July. By the end of 2023, the number of all archaeological excavations and research will be 750.

As of July, the Ministry has allocated approximately 200 million Turkish Liras to spend on archaeological excavations. At the end of 2023, this amount will exceed 500 million liras.

The number of archaeological excavations and restoration works to be carried out throughout the year in Türkiye in 2023 will be 144.

Nearly 140 archaeological surveys will be conducted by local and foreign scientists. Around 250 foreign scientists from more than 20 countries will participate in these works.

The excavations that will start in Gökhöyük in Seydişehir, Konya in the coming days will search the period from the Neolithic Age to the Iron Age. The primary goal of the long-term excavations will be to obtain information about the last inhabitants of the settlement.

The excavations, which had been interrupted for a long time, will resume this year in the ancient city of Sobesos, which is located in the Ürgüp district of the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir.

Restoration-oriented works will also continue in the second half of 2023 in areas such as Denizli’s Laodicea and Tripoli, Antalya’s Olympos, Patara, Perge and Side, Muğla’s Stratonikeia, Euromos, Knidos ancient cities and Beçin Castle and Mersin’s Silifke Castle and Uzuncaburç.

The Neolithic Age Research Project, which was initiated in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa within the scope of Taş Tepeler Project and has been continuing in 12 different areas, will continue with the participation of experts from different countries.

In addition to the excavations in several ancient cities of Türkiye, the restoration works will be carried out simultaneously.

The Anatolian Rock Monuments and Inscriptions Project will be another project to be launched this year. The rock monuments and inscriptions found in Türkiye will be cataloged within the scope of the study, their 3D scans will be made and recorded.