December 2015 in Turkish archaeology

Assos/Behramkale
Assos/Behramkale

Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for December 2015. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!

Dec 1, 2015

Ancient tomb in house finally at museum

An ancient marble tomb that has been protected by a local man in his garden for 30 years has finally been relocated, to be placed in front of the recently excavated Roman bath in the Central Anatolian province of Yozgat. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 2, 2015

Kalehöyük at the very center of history in Anatolia

The revelations from the ancient site of Kalehöyük in Central Anatolia have provided traces from at least seven different civilizations, but even more are believed to lie below the surface, says Japanese Professor Sachihiro Omura. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 3, 2015

Secret tunnel in castle keeps its mystery

An inn, which is estimated to have been used as the entrance to a “hidden tunnel” in the past, is undergoing cleaning work in the Turhal district of northern Tokat province. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Historical bath in Bursa up for sale

The historical Oruçbey Bath, located in the Osmangazi district of Turkey’s northwestern province of Bursa, has been put on the market for $1.65 million. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 4, 2015

Underwater work begins in ancient basilica

Underwater archaeological work began on Dec. 4 in an ancient Roman-era basilica discovered at the beginning of last year under Lake İznik in the northwestern province of Bursa. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Local man looks after 1,500-year-old Roman tomb for 30 years

A marble tomb that was taken under protection by a local from Yozgat's Sarıkaya district 30 years ago has been moved to the excavation site of a Roman bath in the region. Mustafa Doğan, 64, discovered a marble tomb while digging for his house's foundations 30 years ago. Source: Daily Sabah

Historical city in Gümüşhane facing landslide threat

The old Gümüşhane neighborhood and its historical artifacts are facing the threat of a landslide caused by the Green Road project in the Black Sea. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 8, 2015

Unique ancient structures unearthed in extinct volcano

Continuing excavations in an extinct volcano in the Central Anatolian province of Karaman have unearthed a unique pyramidal mausoleum and a temple. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Tick-tac-toe played in ancient Assos

The ancients might not have had Candy Crush to while away their time while waiting about, but they did have everyone’s favorite Xs and Os game, tick-tac-toe, according to archaeological findings from Assos on the Aegean Sea. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

New project aims to bring treasures of Knidos back to their original site

The ancient Greek city of Knidos was once home to a great civilization that left priceless artifacts behind. Although officials want to display the artifacts unearthed at the site in their original place, the artifacts are showcased at other museums in the region as well as the British Museum. Source: Daily Sabah

Dec 9, 2015

Roman-era floor mosaic paved over with asphalt in Turkey's İznik

The entry point of a Roman-era floor mosaic discovered in September last year during sewage excavations in the northwestern province of Bursa’s İznik district has been paved over with asphalt by the municipality. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 10, 2015

Ani’s rock paintings belong to humanity

Fifteen rock paintings discovered in a village close to the ancient city of Ani in Kars will play a significant role for the area to be declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, according to officials. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Süleyman the Magnificent burial site found in Hungary

Historians have discovered what they believe to be the shrine and mosque where the internal remains of Süleyman the Magnificent were interred in 1566. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 14, 2015

Heracles relief suffers damage

The right arm of a Heracles relief in an ancient quarry in the northwestern province of Bursa’s İznik district has suffered damage due to the agricultural industry in the area, according to cultural specialists. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 15, 2015

Byzantine mosaics set to return to former glory

Byzantine-era mosaics unearthed in the ancient city of Stratonikeia will be open to visitors after the completion of restoration work, according to scholars in southwestern Turkey. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Knidos wants to regain its artifacts

The Lion and Demeter of Knidos, which were unearthed in the ancient city of Knidos in Datça, are on display at the British Museum. The Datça Municipality has begun a process to bring them home. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Ancient wall frieze found in Zonguldak

Officials from the Ereğli Museum Directorate have found a nearly 2,000-year-old and 100-kilogram wall frieze in a village in the Ereğli district of Zonguldak province in northern Turkey. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 16, 2015

Excavations to start in city of Amos for the first time

Excavations are soon set to start on the 2,200-year-old Amos, one of the most important ancient cities in the southwestern province of Muğla’s Marmaris district. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 17, 2015

Cult of Zeus found in Metropolis

A cult area built for Zeus, the main god of the ancient Helen mythology, has been found in the ancient city of Metropolis, located in Aegean İzmir province’s Torbalı district. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Temple dedicated to Zeus unearted in Izmir

A temple built in honor of the Greek mythological god Zeus has recently been unearted in the ancient city of Metropolis in İzmir's Torbalı district. Source: Daily Sabah

Rare Hittite seal seized in Çorum

A 3,600-year-old Hittite-era seal has been found in a box during a police operation held in the Central Anatolian province of Çorum. The seal was one of two of its kind in the world. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 18, 2015

Ancient manuscripts digitalized in Turkey for wider access

The Culture and Tourism Ministry continues to digitalize manuscripts that have great historical, academic and literary value. Source: Daily Sabah

Dec 21, 2015

‘Yaşayan Müze’ offers an interactive museum experience

Striving not to simply conserve artifacts for future posterity, the ‘Living Museum’ in Beypazarı aims to bequeath the intangible to future generations as well with its innovative museum methods. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Bridge on the Drina gets a Turkish facelift

The Drina Bridge or Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Bridge in Visegrad was restored to its former glory with a 5 million-euro project by state-run TİKA, which undertakes restoration work all across the Balkans. Source: Daily Sabah

Ottoman sanatorium under meticulous restoration

A tabhane, a kind of sanatorium for ill people during rehabilitation, in the Süleymaniye Complex designed by Mimar Sinan, is currently under restoration. Source: Daily Sabah

Dec 22, 2015

Hittite Forest to be created in Alacahöyük

Fifteen ancient tree species that grew 4,500 years ago in Alacahöyük, one of the most important centers of the Hittite civilization will be planted in order to create a “Hittite Forest” in the central Anatolian province of Çorum. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Rock tombs of Elazığ to serve tourism

The Roman-era rock tombs in the eastern province of Elazığ’s Ağın district will soon be brought to light, according to District Gov. Mehmet Fatih Yakınoğlu, who said the district was not very well known despite its historical touristic features such as the Hastek Fortress, İspir Mansion, rock tombs, mounds, the Sülük and Keban dam lakes and traditional Ağın houses. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 25, 2015

Extension of Byzantine-era harbor discovered

Construction of a road in Istanbul’s Yenikapı area has unearthed an extension of the Byzantine-era Theodosius harbor. An L-shaped structure might have been the breakwater of the harbor, scholars say. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 27, 2015

Historic bath and mosaics found in central Anatolia

Ruins of a Roman-era bath and a floor mosaic have been discovered while drilling at a third degree archaeological site in the central Anatolian Osmaniye’s district of Kadirli. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 29, 2015

Fourth church revealed at Pisidia Antiocheia

This year’s excavations in the ancient city of Pisidia Antiocheia have unearthed a church that was discovered last year, bringing to four the number of Christian religious centers that have been discovered so far at the site. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Roman-Period Altar in Turkey Features Mythical Battle Scene

According to a report in Live Science, villagers discovered an altar dating to the second century A.D. near Turkey’s Akçay River. Source: Archaeological Institute of America

Dec 30, 2015

Diplomatic delay in historic church’s restoration

The historic Georgian Osvank Church in the Turkish province of Erzurum needs urgent restoration but Turkey cannot begin the work as Georgian officials have not met reciprocity principles. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

‘Love’ graffiti on historic castle walls creates outrage

Some drawings, words and shapes carved by people on the renowned Roman Amasra Castle, which is on UNESCO’s temporary world heritage list, have created quite big brouhaha in Turkey’s northern Bartın province. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

Dec 31, 2015

Reliefs in Mersin fall victims to treasure hunters

The walls of the Şeytan Deresi Canyon in Mersin are home to some of the most unique reliefs in the world, but a lack of formal protection has resulted in treasure hunters damaging the artwork despite the lack of any valuables in the area. Source: Hürriyet Daily News

‘New Hasankeyf’s’ museum ready to open

The construction of a museum and an amphitheater has been finished at a new settlement established for Hasankeyf, which is to be flooded by the Ilısu Dam, a project that NGOs fear will displace thousands and obscure Hasankeyf’s unique ancient history. Source: Hürriyet Daily News