Impressive statues found in Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe

ISTANBUL

The first painted statue and one of the most realistic human statues have been unearthed in the ancient sites of Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa.

The discoveries were made during the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) archaeological excavations, which shed light on prehistoric times. Taş Tepeler is an Anatolian and Upper Mesopotamian region that held the oldest established settlements, spanning 200 kilometers from one end to the other. The archaeological excavations carried out in 2023 have covered nine different areas.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry announced that a life-size wild boar statue, made of limestone, was found in the "D structure" of Göbeklitepe, considered the “zero-point of history.”

Having red, white and black pigment residues on its surface, the finding was the first painted sculpture found so far. The wild boar statue was found on a bench with decorations with an “H”-shaped symbol, a crescent, two snakes and three human faces.

The human statue was unearthed during excavations in Karahantepe, considered one of the most important settlements of the Neolithic period.

The 2.3-meter-high human statue, which is said to be one of the most impressive examples of prehistoric art with a realistic facial expression, was found fixed to the ground on a bench. It emphasizes the ribs, spine and shoulder bones, reminiscent of a dead person.

A vulture statue placed on the wall and stone plates left on the floor were also found in the area where the seated statue was also unearthed in the area.