Türkiye's Karahantepe named among top archaeological finds of 2025
17:10, 23/12/2025, TuesdayU: Update: 17:52, 23/12/2025, Tuesday
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An aerial view of the excavations carried out at Mendik Tepe, which is thought to be older than Gobeklitepe, described as the “zero point of history” and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018, and Karahantepe in Sanliurfa, Turkiye on August 27, 2025. Traces from the Neolithic period are being unearthed during excavations carried out within the scope of the "Stone Hills Project" of the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry.The Neolithic site of Karahantepe in southeastern Türkiye has been selected by Archaeology Magazine as a top discovery, featuring a unique pillar with a carved human face and artifacts that may form the world's oldest 3D narrative.
Karahantepe, a major Neolithic site in southeastern Türkiye, has been named one of the top 10 archaeological discoveries of 2025 by Archaeology Magazine and featured on its cover. The site, part of the Tas Tepeler (Stone Hills) project in Sanliurfa province, continues to reshape the understanding of early settled human societies with its latest finds.
Groundbreaking Discoveries at the Site
This year's excavations revealed two significant artifacts. The first is a T-shaped pillar carved with a three-dimensional human face—the first such discovery in the region, strongly supporting the theory that these iconic pillars symbolized human figures. The second is a collection of artifacts that may constitute the world's oldest three-dimensional narrative. According to the magazine, these finds provide rare insight into the complex symbolic expression of Pre-Pottery Neolithic communities in Anatolia over 10,000 years ago.
A Pillar in Understanding Neolithic Culture
Necmi Karul, head of the excavation, stated the facial discovery confirms the human symbolism of the pillars. The site is a cornerstone of the Tas Tepeler project, which investigates the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to early farming communities in Upper Mesopotamia. Türkiye’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy heralded the recognition, expressing his belief that the ongoing scientific work will establish the area as the "world’s Neolithic capital."
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