January 2026 brought a concentrated wave of archaeological breakthroughs in Turkey, spanning nearly a million years of human history. Highlights included new evidence pushing early human presence in Anatolia deep into the Ice Age, transformative Neolithic research at Çayönü Hill and Çatalhöyük, and a 7,500-year-old stone seal from the Upper Euphrates. Ancient power structures were rethought through an 8th-century BCE Phrygian royal tomb far from Gordion and the first local Aramaic inscription of the Hellenistic Kingdom of Sophene, offering rare written insight into elite identity in eastern Anatolia. Classical discoveries ranged from a Hermes head at Laodikeia to a unique Roman thermal complex at Myra, alongside striking evidence of early medicine from prehistoric cranial surgery to Roman pharmaceutical practice. Medieval and later periods rounded out the month with exceptional finds at Hasankeyf, early Turkish graves in Europe, and renewed focus on conserving Turkey's vast architectural and cultural heritage.
Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for January 2026. Have we missed anything? Please let us know by using Contact tab!
January 1, 2026
Rare ‘Good Shepherd’ Jesus fresco in Türkiye set for careful restoration
Archaeologists working at the Hisardere necropolis near Iznik in Bursa province have begun delicate conservation work on a third-century wall painting known as the “Good Shepherd Jesus” fresco, discovered inside an underground tomb chamber. Source: Türkiye Today
Grace of Ancient Art Emerges in Laodikeia: Hermes Sculpture Head Discovered in Ongoing Excavations
Under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as part of the Geleceğe Miras (Heritage for the Future) Project, a remarkable archaeological discovery has come to light in the ancient city of Laodikeia, located near modern-day Denizli in southwestern Türkiye. Excavations conducted in the Bouleuterion (Council House) and Prytaneion complexes have revealed a finely crafted marble head of the god Hermes, offering fresh insight into the city’s artistic sophistication during the Roman Imperial Period. Source: Arkeonews
January 2, 2026
Southeastern historic sites to be lit with renewable energy
The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development Administration will illuminate major historic sites in the region using solar energy and smart automation systems to boost tourism. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Türkiye museums, archaeological sites draw over 33 million visitors in 2025
Türkiye’s museums and archaeological sites attracted more than 33 million visitors in 2025, underlining the country’s growing cultural reach and sustained international interest in its historical landscape. Source: Türkiye Today
7,500-Year-Old Stone Seal Discovered at Tadım Höyük in Türkiye
Archaeologists working at Tadım Castle and Höyük in Elazığ, eastern Türkiye, have uncovered a stone seal believed to be around 7,500 years old — a discovery that sheds new light on the deep cultural history of the Upper Euphrates Basin and confirms the region as one of Anatolia’s earliest settlement centers. Source: Arkeonews
January 3, 2026
Restored Hatay assembly building to host State Theaters
A historic building that served as the assembly during the Hatay State period and was rebuilt in line with its original design after being destroyed in the earthquakes, will host cultural and artistic activities. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Archaeological excavations and conservation projects at Myra Ancient City and its ancient harbor, Andriake, on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast have entered a decisive new phase. Officials have confirmed that restoration of Myra’s monumental Roman theatre is scheduled to begin in 2026, while a selection of exceptionally rare artifacts uncovered during recent excavations is now being displayed at the Turkish Presidency. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 5, 2026
Genetic research at Türkiye's Cayonu Hill reshapes the story of early settled life
The remains of people who lived nearly 12,000 years ago at Cayonu Hill in southeastern Türkiye are being studied to map one of the earliest known human communities, offering fresh insight into how agriculture, settlement, and long-distance social ties first took shape. Source: Türkiye Today
Protective Solomon's Knot mosaic unearthed in Türkiye's ancient city of Smyrna
Archaeologists working in the heart of Izmir have uncovered a rare mosaic room at the ancient city of Smyrna, drawing particular attention to a central “Solomon's Knot” motif that reflects beliefs in protection against evil and misfortune during Late Antiquity. Source: Türkiye Today
The Kilamuwa Stele from Zincirli Höyük Reveals How a Neo-Hittite King Wrote His Own Power into Stone
At Zincirli Höyük, located in today’s Gaziantep province in southern Türkiye, archaeologists uncovered one of the most explicit royal inscriptions of the Iron Age Near East. Known as the Kilamuwa Stele, this monument was erected in the 9th century BCE by King Kilamuwa, ruler of the Neo-Hittite kingdom of Bit-Gabbari. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 6, 2026
Turkish Intelligence releases historic file on British agent T.E. Lawrence
Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has made public a rare historical intelligence document concerning Thomas Edward Lawrence, widely known in the West as “Lawrence of Arabia,” shedding light on how British intelligence activities were perceived and monitored in the late Ottoman and early Republican periods. Source: Türkiye Today
9th Heritage Istanbul to spotlight Historic Peninsula in April gathering
Heritage Istanbul, a leading international fair and conference dedicated to cultural heritage, is set to welcome visitors from April 1 to 4 at the Yenikapi Eurasia Fair and Event Center in Istanbul. Now in its ninth edition, the event will revolve around the theme “Historic Peninsula,” highlighting one of the world’s most significant urban heritage areas and positioning Istanbul as a key meeting point for global expertise in restoration, archaeology, museology, and library technologies. Source: Türkiye Today
Gallipoli’s Sedd el Bahr Castle steps into Europe’s museum spotlight
Sedd el Bahr Castle or Seddulbahir Castle, a historic fort on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Canakkale, has been nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award 2026 (EMYA), a move that has boosted the site’s visibility within the international museum network. Source: Türkiye Today
January 7, 2026
Discovery in Çanakkale reveals earliest Turkish graves in Europe
A vast historic Turkish cemetery believed to date back to the 14th century has been uncovered by archaeologists on the Gallipoli Peninsula, shedding new light on the earliest Turkish presence in Europe, officials said. Source: Daily Sabah
A Unique Artuqid-Era Ivory Archer’s Ring Discovered at Hasankeyf’s Great Palace
Archaeological excavations at Hasankeyf during the 2025 field season have yielded an exceptional discovery that sheds new light on elite culture in medieval Anatolia. In the southeastern corner of the Great Palace complex, researchers uncovered a rare ivory archer’s ring (zihgir) dating to the Artuqid period (12th–13th century)—a find described as unique both in material and decoration. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 8, 2026
Pygela Necropolis in Kuşadası Granted First-Degree Archaeological Protection
A previously overlooked burial landscape connected to the ancient city of Pygela, near modern-day Kuşadası in western Türkiye, has now been officially designated a First-Degree Archaeological Site. The decision places the Otuzbirler Mevkii Necropolis under the highest level of legal protection, reflecting growing recognition of the area’s archaeological sensitivity and future research potential. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 9, 2026
Experts warn of irreversible harm to 5th-century Aetius Cistern in Istanbul
Parts of the ancient Aetius Cistern in Istanbul’s Karagumruk district were removed using heavy construction machinery, prompting strong reactions from architects, archaeologists, and cultural heritage advocates this week. Source: Türkiye Today
Unique 1,850-Year-Old Roman Thermal Structure Unearthed in Antalya’s Ancient City of Myra
Archaeologists in southern Türkiye have uncovered an extraordinary 1,850-year-old Roman thermal structure in the ancient city of Myra, a discovery experts describe as unparalleled in the region. The rare complex, located in the Demre district of Antalya, is shedding new light on Roman-era healing practices and water-based architecture. Source: Arkeonews
January 10, 2026
Over 100 Olive Oil Workshops Reveal Syedra’s Role as a Late Antique Production Hub
In the steep coastal hills of southern Türkiye, the ancient city of Syedra Ancient City is revealing a side of urban life rarely seen so clearly in Late Antiquity. Archaeological excavations have identified more than 100 olive oil workshops dating to the 5th–6th centuries AD, indicating that Syedra was not merely a residential settlement but a highly organized center of olive oil production. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 11, 2026
When a Village Courtyard Hid a King: The Neo-Hittite Reliefs of Sakçagözü
In southeastern Anatolia, near the modern village of Sakçagözü, an extraordinary chapter of Neo-Hittite art once lay in plain sight—embedded not in a museum wall, but in an ordinary village courtyard. What appeared to be a utilitarian stone block was, in fact, a monumental royal relief dating to the 8th century BC, carved for a palace complex at Coba Höyük. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 12, 2026
Gallipoli frontline diet recreated 110 years later
A century-old battlefield diet from World War I has been brought back to life in Türkiye’s northwestern province of Çanakkale province, as academics and students reinterpreted the meals served to Ottoman soldiers during the Gallipoli Campaign. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
January 13, 2026
New artifacts added to Mevlana Museum collection
A total of 171 artifacts used by Mevlevi dervishes in their daily lives and during sema ceremonies have been added to the Mevlana Museum’s collection and are now on display in the dervish cells. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
The Trabzon Press History Museum, established three years ago by the Ortahisar Municipality, bears witness to the city’s deep-rooted journalism tradition through hundreds of original press and publishing artifacts. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
January 14, 2026
Türkiye expands its national heritage inventory with more than 4,800 new cultural listings in 2025
Türkiye added 1,581 new protected areas and 3,263 immovable cultural assets to its national inventory in 2025, marking a significant step in recording and safeguarding the country’s cultural heritage, according to the General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Source: Türkiye Today
New route for nighttime tourism in Cappadocia
Works to boost nighttime tourism in Cappadocia, a region on UNESCO’s World Natural and Cultural Heritage List, continue with a new project in Ortahisar. Following earlier nighttime lighting projects in Uçhisar’s Pigeon Valley, Cevizlibağ and Uçhisar Castle, the Balkan (Balkanderesi) and Kolastra valleys as well as Ortahisar Castle, have now been illuminated and opened to visitors after dark. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
January 15, 2026
Roman Hospital Turned Byzantine Church Unearthed at Ancient Kaunos
Archaeologists working in southwestern Türkiye have uncovered one of the most compelling examples of architectural continuity in the eastern Mediterranean: a Roman hospital later transformed into a Byzantine church within the ancient city of Kaunos. The discovery sheds new light on how urban spaces in antiquity were adapted to meet shifting medical, religious, and social needs across more than a millennium. Source: Arkeonews
January 16, 2026
Nearly 900-year-old madrasa discovered during urban renewal in central Anatolia
A madrasa, traditional Islamic educational institution, believed to date back nearly 900 years has been found in the central Anatolian city of Kayseri after its remains were identified during an urban renewal project, local officials have said. Source: Türkiye Today
Excavations at Alalakh Are Shaping a New Late Bronze Age Cuneiform Archive
At Alalakh, archaeologists have identified the remains of a new Late Bronze Age cuneiform tablet archive during the 2025 excavation season. The discovery offers a rare, context-rich view of how administration functioned in one of the Levant’s key ancient cities. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 17, 2026
A monumental Phrygian tomb discovered in the Karaağaç Tumulus near Bilecik is rewriting what historians believed about the reach of King Midas’ kingdom. Dated to the 8th century BCE (ca. 800–540 BCE), the burial contains rare royal artifacts—bronze vessels, inscribed ceramics, and a monumental wooden chamber—showing striking similarities to elite tombs in Gordion, the ancient capital of Phrygia. Located 160 kilometers from the political center, the tomb suggests that Phrygian royal power extended far beyond the capital, revealing a more complex and decentralized power structure in ancient Anatolia. Source: Arkeonews
January 18, 2026
A 5,000-Year-Old Skull Reveals One of the Earliest Medical Interventions in Anatolia
One of the most striking testimonies to early medical knowledge in Anatolia is now on display at the Samsun Museum. Dating back nearly 5,000 years, a human skull bearing clear evidence of surgical intervention is considered among the earliest known examples of cranial surgery in human history. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 19, 2026
Researchers in Türkiye uncover new clues to Ice Age human life
Turkish researchers are tracing Ice Age-era human presence in south-central Türkiye, walking roughly 25 kilometers each day to examine stream beds and ancient geological layers as they uncover fresh evidence of early human life in caves and rock shelters. Source: Daily Sabah
A groundbreaking study on the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük has received international recognition in Poland, after being selected as the most important foreign archaeological discovery of 2025 by Polish archaeologists. The award highlights research that challenges long-standing assumptions about social organization in early farming communities—placing women at the center of Neolithic life. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 20, 2026
New Research Pushes Human Presence in Anatolia Back Nearly One Million Years
Archaeological fieldwork in southeastern Türkiye is reshaping the deep prehistory of Anatolia. New evidence from Gaziantep suggests the region was not merely a corridor for early humans during the Ice Age—but a long-term habitat stretching back close to one million years. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
Edirne Palace, once known as the ‘Lost Palace,’ rises from ruins
The Edirne Palace, which had fallen into ruins and come to be known as the “Lost Palace,” is rising back up from the ashes. Half of the revival work at the palace has been completed. By the end of 2027, a palace complex just like Topkapi will take shape in Edirne. Source: Türkiye Today
January 21, 2026
How 'Column of Arcadius' disappeared in modern Istanbul
The Column of Arcadius, once one of the tallest and most elaborate triumphal monuments of the Roman world, now survives only as a battered base wedged between modern apartment buildings in Istanbul, highlighting how centuries of neglect and unplanned urban growth have overtaken a landmark that once defined imperial Constantinople. Source: Türkiye Today
Iron Age discovery in Türkiye challenges idea of centralized Phrygian state
Amonumental Iron Age burial uncovered in rural western Phrygia is reshaping how scholars understand political authority during the reign of King Midas. The Karaagac Tumulus, located in modern Türkiye far from the Phrygian capital of Gordion, presents strong evidence that elite power in the late eighth century BCE was not tightly centralized but spread across multiple regional hubs. Source: Türkiye Today
January 22, 2026
Museum showcases Anatolia’s coffee culture
Tucked in the southern province of Adana's Seyhan district, the Kahve Evi Müzesi has emerged as a quiet powerhouse for cultural preservation — welcoming almost 50,000 visitors in two years to explore the storied world of Anatolian coffee. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Anadolu Hamidiye Fort in Çanakkale undergoing restoration
The Anadolu Hamidiye Fort, which served as the headquarters of artillery units during the Gallipoli Campaign, is undergoing restoration work to preserve it for future generations. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Hidden deep within a rural valley of western Türkiye, far from modern roads and urban pressure, the Temple of Apollo Khresterios stands as one of the most intact and enigmatic oracle centers of the ancient world. Located near the ancient city of Aigai, the sanctuary played a central role in the religious life of the Aiolis region for centuries—and may have been closely linked to one of antiquity’s most renowned seers. Source: Anatolian Archaeology
January 23, 2026
Ancient Roman Doctors in Pergamon Really Used Human Feces as Medicine—Now Science Has the Proof
A small Roman glass vessel excavated in the ancient city of Pergamon has delivered the first direct chemical evidence that feces-based remedies described in Greco-Roman medical texts were not merely theoretical, but actively prepared and used in antiquity. Source: Arkeonews
January 24, 2026
Çanakkale’s historic shipwrecks to become protected diving sanctuary
A landmark cooperation agreement is transforming Türkiye’s 1915 naval battleground warships in the northwestern province of Çanakkale’s Dardanelles from silent relics into a sustainable underwater museum, opening these legendary wrecks to divers while ensuring their permanent protection. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Ancient Murtaza castle in Central Anatolia endures for a millennium
Rising above Murtaza village in Nigde, central Anatolia, the approximately 1,000-year-old Murtaza Castle continues to represent an important example of medieval military architecture. Source: Türkiye Today
January 27, 2026
‘Whistling Memory’ exhibition opens at Yapı Kredi Museum
The exhibition “Whistling Memory,” prepared on the basis of the Yapı Kredi Museum’s Numismatic and Shadow Theater collections, has opened its doors to visitors at the Yapı Kredi Museum. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Bulgur Palace: A restored landmark linking Istanbul’s past and public life
Standing silently for more than a century on Istanbul’s Historic Peninsula, Bulgur Palace has reemerged as a public cultural venue after a long period of abandonment. Source: Türkiye Today
January 28, 2026
Ankara Castle to gain new appeal with three museums
Ankara Castle, one of the capital’s most prominent historical landmarks, is set to strengthen its position as a tourism hub with the addition of three new museums planned for the area. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Drought's gift: 11,000-year-old T-shaped stone ruins resurface in southeastern Türkiye
New archaeological remains resembling the iconic T-shaped stone pillars of Gobeklitepe have come to light in the Adiyaman province of southeastern Türkiye after water levels dropped in a reservoir connected to the Ataturk Dam. Source: Türkiye Today
Sealed medieval cross restored after rare intact discovery in central Türkiye
A rare bronze cross dating back to the medieval period has been carefully cleaned and preserved after being uncovered intact and permanently sealed at the ancient city of Lystra in Konya, central Türkiye, offering archaeologists an unusual glimpse into early Christian material culture without disturbing the object itself. Source: Türkiye Today
January 29, 2026
For a civilisation that flourished more than 3,000 years ago, the Hittites may have been far more concerned with cleanliness and hygiene than previously assumed. A newly published study in Anatolian Studies challenges modern stereotypes about ancient societies, revealing that hygiene in Hittite culture was not incidental—but structured, meaningful, and deeply embedded in daily life, religion, and social hierarchy. Source: Arkeonews
January 30, 2026
Syedra excavations get international support
Work carried out at the ancient city of Syedra by Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University (ALKÜ) has received international support under the 2509 Bilateral Cooperation Support Program (Bosphorus), jointly run by TÜBİTAK and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The project is also recorded as ALKÜ’s first international bilateral cooperation initiative. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Hidden in plain sight: Museum inside Marmaris Castle
Marmaris Museum, set inside Marmaris Castle, is offering visitors a tightly curated walk through layers of history, from the Bronze Age up to the Republic days of Türkiye, while also using the fortress courtyard and vaulted rooms as exhibition space. Source: Türkiye Today
A groundbreaking archaeological discovery in eastern Türkiye is reshaping historians’ understanding of the ancient Kingdom of Sophene, a little-known Hellenistic-era polity that once stood at the crossroads of Anatolian, Iranian, and Greek civilizations. The recent discovery of a Middle Aramaic inscription at Rabat Fortress, in modern-day Tunceli province, provides the first direct written evidence of local elites in Sophene and offers rare insight into how power, identity, and language intersected in this mountainous frontier kingdom. Source: Arkeonews
January 31, 2026
Historic Seljuk bridge that time couldn’t wash away in central Türkiye
Known locally as Tuzla Bridge or Sekili Bridge, the structure is located within the boundaries of Sekili village in Yerkoy district of Yozgat province. It spans the Delice River, the longest tributary of the Kizilirmak River, which is one of Anatolia’s major river systems. Built on a north–south axis, the bridge historically linked villages in Yozgat with those in the Cicekdagi district of neighboring Kirsehir, helping to knit together rural settlements across a wide area. Source: Türkiye Today
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