Çatalhöyük

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 03/18/2025 - 17:40

The first time I read about Çatalhöyük was a very long time ago, in Margaret Oliphant's book "The Atlas of the Ancient World", published in 1993. However, it would take 20 years before I was able to visit this extraordinary place in person. In 2013, the time came for my imagination to confront reality, and I could finally walk on the double mound that conceals traces of a settlement from over nine thousand years ago.

Binbirkilise

Submitted by Iza on Mon, 03/17/2025 - 17:29

The intriguing-sounding name Binbirkilise, literally meaning "one thousand and one churches", actually encompasses a small area in Central Anatolia, where many ruined early Christian temples are located. Although the remains of about 50 of these churches have been identified so far, there may have been many more here in the past.

Miletus — The Birthplace of Western Philosophy?

Submitted by Iza on Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:31

Text by our correspondent from Didim, Jay Jean Jackson, with contributions and edits by Chris Evans

Approximately 2500 years ago, there was a significant shift in the way people thought about life, the universe, and everything. Thales of Miletus moved away from mythology as a way of explaining the world and started exploring nature to understand the machinations of existence. However, he did not refute the presence of an array of gods who were believed to control every aspect of life.

I have read many articles on the fathers of philosophy, and there is much speculation about who can claim the accolade. Many authors, but not all, suggest Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle of Athens deserve the title. However, the Milesian School, comprising Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes, was pre-Socratic. Thales was born 150 years before Socrates. So, should the title not belong to these residents of the ancient city of Miletus?

The reconstructed Ionic Stoa on the Sacred Way in Miletus

Bahá'í House and traditional Edirne houses

Submitted by Iza on Sun, 03/02/2025 - 10:51

For many centuries, Edirne was a city where people of many faiths coexisted peacefully. While many sources discuss the Christian and Jewish inhabitants of Edirne, not so much has been told about the followers of the Bahá'í faith. Therefore, not many people are aware that Edirne can boast a building that is extremally important for the Bahá'í movement - a house where the founder of the Bahá'í faith lived for more than four years.

February 2025 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Sat, 03/01/2025 - 14:45

In February 2025, the groundbreaking genetic research was announced, tracing the origins of domesticated sheep back to Türkiye’s Aşıklı Höyük. Meanwhile, during restoration works conducted at the Harem section of Topkapi Palace, experts uncovered intriguing finds beneath the floor tiles of the Kizlar Agasi room. These included silver and gold coins, earrings, rings, and various jewellery pieces, as well as amulets, talismans, and letters. Finally, Hadrianopolis, an ancient city in Karabük’s Eskipazar district, was designated as an archaeological site by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.