Mysterious inscription at Çem Castle remains unsolved

OSMANİYE

Inscriptions found on the walls of Çem Castle, located in the Sumbas district of the southern province of Osmaniye, has puzzled researchers who are attempting to decipher its language and alphabet.

Çem Castle, situated on a steep cliff in the town of Mehmetli, is known for its rare and ancient inscriptions. The texts, engraved at three different locations on the castle walls, remain unsolved by experts.

The alphabet used in the inscriptions is currently unknown, leaving historians to question which civilization was responsible for the writing.

Researcher and historian Yurdaer Yanık, who studied the inscriptions, emphasized the importance of solving this mystery.

“If the mysterious alphabet, which has yet to be deciphered anywhere in the world, is solved, it could lead to the rewriting of the history of Çukurova,” he stated.

Yanık further explained that Çem Castle has a rich history, dating back to the Ottoman era, stating: “Çem Castle is a well-preserved medieval fortress that once stood on a key trade route. It was known as Vannos Castle during the Ottoman period. There are three separate inscriptions used as spolia stones on the castle walls, the mystery of which has not been solved so far.”

Experts are working to decode the letters, which share some similarities with ancient alphabets.

“Some of these letters resemble those used by the Scythian Turks, but it not their alphabet. There are also elements that are close to the Göktürk script," Yanık mentioned.

Architectural details of the castle add to the intrigue. On the right side of the entrance door, a cross motif carved in a circle can be seen.

Above the arched entrance, two lion figures in high relief face each other, placed within the arch walls. Another lion figure in relief also decorates the bastion on the outer right side of the entrance.