It took just 20 days to unearth very important finds, such as a cross and an animal head effigy, in a well-known archaeological area, but a new round of excavations has opened, which is proving to be very “productive”.
The new round of excavations started just 2 days ago at the ruins of the city of Kerkenes Dagi, in the Yozgat Sorgun region of central Anatolia. The site, on the outskirts of Sahmuratli village, hid new sections of walls from Keykavus Castle, along with several notable symbols, including a cross and a relief representing the head of an animal.
The multinational excavation team
The excavation, which takes place for only about 20 days, consists of a large team of scientists from the University of Istanbul, but also with experts from other countries, which is coordinated by Professor Sevket Donmez. The study is supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism in collaboration with the University of Florida, in the USA.
During his visit to the site, Yozgat Governor Mehmet Ali Ozkan congratulated the team for their efforts and highlighted the remarkable progress made in such a short period of time.
“We are thrilled with the progress seen in just 20 days. The team has brought to light parts of the outer walls of the fort and many artefacts,” noted Governor Ozkan. He also expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed to the excavation, including local officials from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Keykavus Castle
The team has already uncovered about 15-20 meters of the walls surrounding Keykavus Castle. It is estimated that the walls have a total length of 300 meters. The discovery offers valuable information about the architectural structure of the castle, which is linked to many historical periods.
Ongoing excavations aim to further explore the entrance gate and the interior of the fort. Now, the team is focusing on uncovering the layers from the Roman and early Byzantine periods.
It is considered, however, that the history of the castle is connected to the period of the Seljuk Turks, with the continuous research focusing on the revelation of the Turkish cultural heritage that came to the surface, between the 11u and the 13thu century in the area.
The cultural heritage of nomads and Turkmen
The excavation brought to the surface, interesting findings. Professor Donmez emphasized that the discovery of the walls is considered to be related to the Turkmen nomads. The structures probably supported tents.
This information sheds light on the history of the area, which may have been a pasture during the summer season, or a yaylak point, i.e. summer mountain pasture used by the Turkmen, for many centuries.
Religious and cultural symbols
Among the most impressive finds, during the excavations, is included a cross and the relief head of an animal. The artifacts suggest the existence of a religious community that may have used the cultural symbols for protection or ritual purposes, further enriching our understanding of the region’s complex history.
The ongoing excavations of the finds at Kerkene are revealing important new information about the ancient civilizations that once lived on the site.
The site presents a combination of Roman, Byzantine and Seljuk influences, as well as unique traces of the Turkic nomads. The site also offers unique evidence of the diverse cultural layers of the region’s rich past.
Source: www.enikos.gr
