Ancient fingerprint found in Çatalhöyük

KONYA – Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

Excavations at the 10,000-year-old Boncuklu mound have unearthed finger prints on kiln objects.

The fingerprints are being examined by Dr. Lori Hager, a specialist on the subject.

Works have been continuing on the Boncuklu mound, located in the Central Anatolian province of Konya’s ancient settlement of Çatalhöyük, since 2006. The head of the excavations is Liverpool University Archaeology Department Professor Douglas Baird.

The fingerprints have been found on broken, nail-sized objects made in a kiln. The photos of the prints were published on the official website of the Boncuklu mound excavations.

Their photos, which were taken with a Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) technique, were then converted into 3D images. Examinations of the kiln pieces will show whether the fingerprints belonged to men, women or children.