Karahantepe to welcome visitors this year

ŞANLIURFA

Karahantepe, one of the key Neolithic settlements in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, will open to visitors this year with a "systematic tour route."

Located 46 kilometers from the city center in Tek Tek Mountains National Park near Kargalı neighborhood, Karahantepe was first identified in 2017 during surface surveys. Researchers discovered T-shaped pillars dating back to the Neolithic period (10,000–6,000 B.C.)

Excavations in the site, led by Professor Necmi Karul, began in 2019, uncovering structures, statues and various artifacts from the same period as Göbeklitepe. These findings have attracted significant attention from the archaeological and historical communities.

To protect the unearthed artifacts, which remain in their original place for exhibition, a protective roof project is currently underway. Additionally, efforts are being made to establish a systematic tour route for visitors to explore the site more efficiently.

Karul, head of the Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe excavations, told the stater-run Anadolu Agency that approximately 800,000 people visited Göbeklitepe last year, with around 30 percent also expressing interest in Karahantepe.

"Since 2019, excavations have been carried out in the region as part of the Taş Tepeler Project," Karul said. "Given the high level of interest, it is not feasible to turn visitors away. However, we must also ensure their safety and provide adequate facilities. These will be completed along with the roof project, as well as additional elements such as walking paths and information panels. We expect to finish everything by 2025. While we are not turning visitors away, we will organize a safer and more structured tour route by the end of the year."

Karul stated that excavations at Karahantepe were highly productive, resulting in significant discoveries since 2019.

"One key lesson from the Taş Tepeler Project is that the findings have exceeded our expectations," he said.

"Another major achievement over the past five years has been the progress in laboratory research, which helped us transform the excavation data into valuable knowledge. Several publications will be released on this subject. While we cannot predict future discoveries, we know that the publication of existing findings and the groundbreaking results we have obtained so far will continue in the coming year," he added.