Top 10 archaeological discoveries in 2023 in Anatolia

ISTANBUL

As 2023 nears its end, archaeologists working in ancient cities all around Anatolia made significant discoveries throughout the year. According to archaeology magazine Arkeofili editors, the most exciting archaeological discoveries in Türkiye in 2023 are as follows:

1. Boar statue in Göbeklitepe

The first life-sized painted wild boar statue made of limestone has been recently unearthed during the excavations, led by Professor Necmi Karul in Göbeklitepe in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, which is considered the "zero point of history" with its 12,000 years of history. The artwork, on which red, white and black pigment residues can be seen, is the first painted sculpture from that period.

2. An unusual grave in Burdur

Archaeologists working in the ancient city of Sagalassos in the southern province of Burdur have found a non-normative Roman tomb dating back approximately 1,900 years and some materials indicating magical practices. Officials said the tomb stands out with its unusual features. Many burnt bone remains and some goods belonging to a single individual were found in the tomb. According to the archaeologists in the excavation team, the location of the bones shows that the body was burned inside the grave. This is considered an unusual discovery, as cremation practices are usually carried out outside the grave. Osteological analysis shows that the bones found in the grave belong to a man over the age of 18.

3. Temple dedicated to Anatolian Goddess Kubaba in Osmaniye

The ruins of an approximately 2,500-year-old temple, thought to be dedicated to the goddess Kubaba, were unearthed in the ancient city of Kastabala in the southern province of Osmaniye. Kastabala, the oldest and only sacred city of Cilicia, is located in the center of the Luvi and Hurrian cultural region, the indigenous people of Anatolia. The temple ruins are dated to 540 B.C., that is, to the Archaic Period, according to the architectural decoration. The ruins consist of Ionic fluted column drums, Ionic column capitals and large smooth ashlar blocks.

4. A monumental human statue in Karahantepe

A human statue was unearthed during excavations in Karahantepe in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, 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.

5. Head of Alexander the Great bust found in Düzce

During the excavations carried out in the Konuralp Ancient Theater excavation area in northwestern province of Düzce, archaeologists identified an artifact in the ground at the top of the theater area. As they kept digging, they removed the head of a bust, which was determined to be belonged to the Macedonian King Alexander the Great. The head, measuring 23 centimeters is depicted with deep and upward-looking eyes made of marble, drill marks on the pupil and a slightly open mouth that does not show much of its teeth. His long curly hairstyle up to his neck and two strands of hair (Anastoli) in the middle of his forehead are like the mane of a lion. This depiction is a hair type typical of Alexander the Great.

6. Ancestor of African hominins in Çankırı

A previously unknown primate fossil dating back 8.7 million years was unearthed at the Çorakyerler Fossil Locality near the Central Anatolian province of Çankırı. The findings confirm the theory that ancestors of African apes and humans evolved in Eurasia before migrating to Africa 9 to 7 million years ago. Analysis of a fossil primate called Anadoluvius turkae shows that Mediterranean fossil monkeys were diverse and part of the first known spread of early hominins—the group that includes African monkeys, humans and their fossil ancestors. The findings reveal that Anadoluvius turkae is a branch of the evolutionary tree that gave rise to chimpanzees, bonobos, gorilla and humans.

7. Original Moses statue found in Stratonikeia

The dancing statue of Moses, one of the muses of ancient mythology, has been found in the ancient city of Stratonikeia in the western province of Muğla. The statue, came to light after nearly 2,175 years in Stratonikeia, which is the largest marble ancient city in the world. It is the only original statue from the Hellenistic period, of which copies were made in the Roman Period. The statue, known to have been created by Philiskos, a famous sculptor in the second century B.C., has copies from the Roman period known in various parts of the world. But the statue found in Stratonikeia is the only original one from the Hellenistic period by Philiskos, separating it from the Roman period copies.

8. An unknown ancient language in Çorum

An Indo-European language written in an unknown language was discovered in Boğazköy - Hattusa, the capital of the Hittites. Researchers identified this language, which appears in a ritualistic text, as the language of the Kalash country, located at the northwestern end of the Hittite central region, probably in the modern Bolu or Gerede. The text in the Kalash language remains largely unintelligible. However, it has become certain that there is a yet unknown Indo-European language in Anatolia dating back to the second millennium B.C.

9. A 2,500-year-old dice game in Balıkesir

A 2,500-year-old dice game board with the inscription "Bagabazos's dice game" was found at the Daskyleion Ruins in the western province of Balıkesir. Bagabazos was a Persian person and his name was pronounced as Megabazos in Ancient Greek sources. This is the first time an archaeological find similar to this game board dating back to the fifth century B.C. has been discovered in Anatolia.

10. 1,800-year-old statue of Aphrodite in Amasra

A nymph (water fairy) statue, which was found 3 meters below the surface during the excavations carried out in the ancient city of Amastris, has been determined to be a statue of Aphrodite. The 1.53-meter-tall nymph statue is thought to date back to the second century A.D. Experts closely examined approximately 20 examples of Aphrodite statues found in Türkiye and determined that the statue had the characteristics of both a nymph and Aphrodite. Further examinations revealed that the statue was Aphrodite.