Historic artillery shell found in quake-hit Kahramanmaraş

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

A 103-year-old 75-mm artillery shell has been discovered among the ruins of the Şeyh Turan Mosque, destroyed in the deadly earthquakes that struck southern Türkiye in early February of last year, and is now under protection in Kahramanmaraş.

The historical artillery shell was removed as local officials worked to restore the mosque to its former glory after last year's twin earthquakes, which killed over 53,000 people and devastated many buildings, including historic structures.

“A French artillery shell, fired in retaliation for our Kahramanmaraş residents' resistance against the French, was embedded in the northwest side of the minaret of the Şeyh Turan Mosque. As the minaret was demolished in the aftermath of the earthquakes, the artillery shell was reduced to ruins,” Adem Bozkurt, the director of Gaziantep Regional Directorate of Foundations, explained upon visiting Kahramanmaraş to assess the ongoing construction work.

He further noted the relevant authorities promptly assessed the damage later on and initiated the construction works after placing the structure under protection.

The preserved artillery shell recovered as part of this initiative will possibly be delivered to the Kahramanmaraş Museum for display after inspection by the General Staff, according to Bozkurt.

He noted that in the meantime, they will rebuild the historic mosque utilizing both the original stones from the debris and new materials, stressing that their goal is to revitalize the mosque by the end of 2025.

Nevertheless, he further added that this time frame could change based on the distinctive structure of the historical mosque, as well as the natural conditions at the time of the construction work.

This historically significant mosque was constructed in the middle of the 17th century, according to Bozkurt, and it had four separate restorations at various times after that.

Bozkurt noted that the Directorate General of Foundations will decide whether to reinstall the artillery shell in the minaret after the mosque's most recent reconstruction is completed.