Plants found in Kültepe under examination

KAYSERİ

Several plant species that have been unearthed during archaeological excavations in the 6,000-year-old Kültepe Kaniş Karum Ruins, where the first written tablets of Anatolia were found, are being examined by local and foreign experts and contributing to the world of science.

Professor Fikri Kulakoğlu, the head of Kültepe excavations, said, "We have scientists working on invisible elements during the excavations. Many elements such as various animals, plants and mineral remains come to the surface during the excavations. Among these, there are many fruits and vegetables that are impossible to be here today. Many plants such as hazelnuts, olives, or holly, which are not native to this region, can be encountered during excavations.”

The Kültepe Kaniş Karum ancient site is 24 kilometers away from the city center of the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri. Consisting of the mound and the karum surrounding it, which is the remains of the first city founded by the Hittites in Anatolia, the Kültepe ruins are home to administrative buildings, religious buildings, houses, shops and workshop ruins.

The excavations, restoration and inventory works that have been ongoing in the ruins since 1948 make Kültepe one of the important tourism centers of Türkiye. Many plant species unearthed during 75-year excavations attract the attention of local and foreign researchers. Various plant species are examined by local and foreign experts and contribute to the world of science.

Stating that Turkish archaeologists are not the only ones working in Kültepe, Ankara University Department of Archaeology member Kulakoğlu said, "The Kültepe excavations are a multinational and disciplined excavation. Turkish archaeologists are not the only ones working there, as academics from various universities around the world work there too. Among these, people from the scientific disciplines we call 'paleo,' which means 'old,' are conducting studies. Archaeozoology, archaeobotany and paleozoology are among these. There are scientists working on many invisible elements during excavations.”

Kulakoğlu stated that many plant and fruit species that are not unique to Kayseri due to its climate were found in the Kültepe excavations and added: “For example, pollen is a microscopic object. With pollen studies, we can detect not only archaeological objects but also objects used at that time and living beings. Many elements such as various animals, plants, and metal remains come to the surface during excavations. Among these, there are many fruits and vegetables that are impossible to find here today."

"We know that plants such as sumac, holly and hazelnuts were in Kültepe 4,000 years ago. You can also distinguish the types of these plants from the pollen residues. We can also detect that some plants were domesticated and cultivated. For example, the pollen of wild olives and olives cultivated differently is different from each other. Therefore, we learn that plants were produced here since 5,000 years ago.”