Let's take a brief look at the archaeology news from January 2023 (for the full information, please read the full text below). Firstly, last month an exciting new project was announced, promising to provide the text of almost 2000 Hittite tablets, deciphered using artificial intelligence. Secondly, great news from Iznik (ancient Nicaea) where a new Archaeological Museum is getting ready to open. In the same town, Byzantine artefacts were found under an orchard by an unsuspecting farmer. Finally, as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, an exhibition, displaying Ottoman and Republican-era objects, was opened at the Presidential National Library in Ankara.
Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for January 2023. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!
January 5, 2023
Ancient tumulus to bring in tourism
It has been reported that a 2,350-year-old tumulus, found during the surface surveys in the ancient city of Pygela in 2022 in the Kuşadası district of the western province of Aydın and surrounded by a 23.5-meter-long wall and will bring in tourism. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
January 6, 2023
Hittite history to open to the world with digital library
The Hittite tablets, consisting of thousands of years of historical documents, will be opened to the world with a digital library, which is currently under construction. Within the scope of the project, a first in the world, 1,954 Hittite tablets are being deciphered using artificial intelligence. The project titled “3-D Scanning of Cuneiform Tablets in the Anatolian Civilizations Museum and Reading of Boğazköy Tablets by Artificial Intelligence” is carried out in cooperation with Ankara University and the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
January 9, 2023
Female skeleton unearthed in Kadıkalesi
Archaeological excavations in the historical Kadıkalesi Castle in the western province of Aydın have unearthed the skeleton of a woman, which is believed to date back to the 13th century. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Turkish researchers use Artificial Intelligence to read cuneatic Hittite tablets
Thanks to a project implemented in Türkiye, 1,954 ancient Hittite tablets are being read for the first time using artificial intelligence (AI). The project’s initial phase, which involved reading, scanning, and digitizing Hittite cuneiform tablets kept in the collections of the Çorum Museum, the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, and the Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum, has been finished. Source: Arkeonews
January 10, 2023
2,000-year-old sarcophagus found in Istanbul
A sarcophagus determined to belong to the Roman era has been unearthed during the excavation works of an apartment demolished within the scope of the urban transformation project in Istanbul. The sarcophagus came to light during the foundation excavation of the demolished building in the Büyükçekmece district. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
January 14, 2023
Artifacts of Satala ancient city on display for first time
Military tombstones, milestones, inscriptions and war equipment that have been found during the excavations in the ancient city of Satala, where the Roman 15th Legion ruled for 600 years and served as a military headquarters in the northern province of Gümüşhane, are on display for the first time. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
January 23, 2023
Iznik Archaeology Museum reveals 2,500-year-old love letter
The historical city of Iznik, which has been the capital of four civilizations and a contender for UNESCO’s preservation list, is getting ready to open its Iznik Archaeology Museum and host special exhibitions of priceless antiquities. Source: Arkeonews
Three-room Urartian tomb with liquid offering area (libation) found in eastern Turkey
A three-room Urartian tomb with a rock-cut libation (liquid offering area) to offer gifts to the gods was unearthed in the Erciş district of Van, in eastern Turkey. Source: Arkeonews
January 24, 2023
Excavation, restoration unearth cultural assets in ancient Heraclea
Excavation, restoration and conservation work continue with great care in the ancient city of Heraclea, a southwestern city in Türkiye, which attracts thousands of tourists from around the globe. Source: Daily Sabah
Türkiye's Sümela Monastery attracts tourists with its glittering evening facade
Sümela Monastery, one of Türkiye's crucial religious tourism sites, has attracted visitors' attention at night with its glittering appearance on its steep slope. Source: Daily Sabah
January 26, 2023
1,500-year-old Byzantine artifacts found under orchard in Türkiye's Iznik
Özkan Yılmaz, a farmer discovered coins and historical artifacts in his peach orchard in Iznik. The artifacts are believed to belong to the 1,500-year-old Byzantine period. Source: Daily Sabah
January 27, 2023
2,500-Year-Old Love Letter Revealed In Ancient General's Sarcophagus
The town of İznik, in northwest Turkey, may not be as well-known as nearby Istanbul, but it has a history just as long and storied. Once ruled over by followers of Alexander the Great, it eventually became one of the most important urban centers in the Roman Empire, where, renamed Nicaea, it found its major claim to fame in Christian history, hosting the first and second Councils of Nicaea – the meetings which formally set out some of the foundational beliefs of the religion. Source: IFLscience
Karahan Tepe: The Stunning "Sister" Of Göbekli Tepe Is Just As Mysterious
The 12,000-year-old prehistoric site of Göbekli Tepe has become showered with attention in recent years – and rightly so – but it’s lesser known that southern Turkey is also home to a very similar “sister site” known as Karahan Tepe. Source: IFLscience
1,500-year-old Byzantine artifacts found under a peach orchard in Turkey’s Iznik
In the world-famous historical city of Iznik, which was the capital of four civilizations, a farmer found coins and historical artifacts in his peach orchard. The artifacts are believed to belong to the 1,500-year-old Byzantine period. Source: Arkeonews
January 28, 2023
Exhibition displays Ottoman and Republic-era objects
As part of the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, an exhibition, displaying Ottoman and Republican-era objects, was opened to visitors at the Presidential National Library in Turkish capital Ankara. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
January 30, 2023
Urartian King Argishti’s shield reveals the name of an unknown country
Associate Professor Orhan Varol said that on the bronze shield belonging to Argişti, one of the Urartian kings and currently in Rezan Has Museum, the existence of a new country called Qarini, written with the KUR ideogram, which is the country sign, was detected. Source: Arkeonews
