Lost City of Pteria finally unearthed in Turkey’s Yozgat

YOZGAT – Anadolu Agency

DHA photo

Archeological activity in the excavation area of the ancient town of the lost city of Pteria, located near the village of Şahmuratlı in the Central Anatolian province of Yozgat, has been completed. 

Significant discoveries have been made in the project carried out by a team of 45 people, led by American archeologist Scott Branting.

The site is home to many remarkable historical treasures, said Branting, who has been leading and actively participating in archeological projects at the Şahmuratlı-Kerkenes ruins for 22 years.

Brenting added that the archeological activity in the area might have to continue for a long time due to the sheer volume of possible findings, adding that the Kerkenes area is believed to have been home to a civilization in 600 BC. 

Yasemin Özarslan, a research staff at the Faculty of Archeology at Koç University, who has been leading the archeological team along with Branting, confirmed that the works at the site, ongoing since May 15, have been concluded.  

“This year, we continued the excavation in the northern city block of the city of Kerkenes Demirçağı. This block is only one out of the 757 remaining blocks in the city. A mixed group of 30 students and researchers from various cities and universities participated in the excavation. Also, 15 people from the village of Şahmuratlı provided help and support,” says Özarslan.

“We’ve been unearthing some of the buildings and open plains in the north of the city. The scraping of a columned building has been concluded, along with the multiple structures and plains surrounding it such as various clusters of buildings, frameworks and alleys in the area,” she added. 

“We have mainly discovered rock paved streets and avenues, a majority of which we were able to unearth. Multiple remains and objects belonging to the Iron Age [600-700 B.C.] have been discovered,” said Özarslan, describing the significant initial findings made by the archeologists.