Archaeologists Unearth 9,000-Year-Old Settlement In Seydiþehir (Turkey)

Turkish Daily News ^ | 3-16-2006

[blam]

Archaeologists unearth 9,000-year-old settlement in Seydiþedir

Thursday, March 16, 2006

As a result of four years of painstaking excavation, a settlement dating back 9,000 years was discovered in central Anatolia. The tumulus is unique for the region as it is surrounded by walls

ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

A settlement dating back 9,000 years was discovered during archaeological excavations in Seydiþehir, a district of the central Anatolian province of Konya.

Following a visit to Gökhüyük, where the settlement was unearthed, Konya's Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Abdüssettar Yarar told the Anatolia news agency that excavations have been conducted for the past four years by a team under the supervision of archaeologist Enver Akgün.

He said the 50-strong team worked at site every year between June and November.

“The tumulus dates to the Neolithic era,” he said. “We are putting special emphasis on similar excavations to unearth the hidden historical wealth of our region.”

Noting that the tumulus is unique in central Anatolia as it is surrounded by walls, Yarar said: “Settlements from the Neolithic period surrounded by walls are rare in Anatolia. Gökhüyük is, therefore, very important historically.”

“Dishes, filters and millstones as well as offerings for the dead, a tradition of the day, have been found,” Yarar said. “They appear to have been a developed civilization taking into account the time in which they lived.”

He also said over 200 artifacts had been unearthed during the four years of excavation and that they are on display at various museums in Konya.

Seydiþehir Mayor Ýbrahim Halýcý said Seydiþehir was one of the oldest settlement areas in Anatolia, adding: “As the municipality we are lending support in order to unearth the area's historical wealth. We will be holding a conference on ancient Seydiþehir during tourism week in April.”

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[Ditter]

I would love to see some of the artifacts.

[SueRae]

Gawd, I love these archaeology posts! 9000 years, makes the city of Troy look like a youngster by comparison.

[oklahoma guard]

Yeah. Didn't they also discover a civilization with plumbing in India dating 9th century BC or so?

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Was not aware they were building walled cities that far back. Intresting find!

[Citizen Tom Paine]

I thought that Jericho was the oldest walled city.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Yes, I think you are right about Jericho, but could not be much older than 9,000 years. Anybody in FREEPERLAND know?

[blam]

"Jericho is one of the most ancient human habitations. The most ancient human remains were found in it, some of which go back to 5000 years B.C. Others believe that these remains go back to 7000 years B.C. The most recent opinion on this subject is that they date back to 8000 years B.C."

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Thanks Blam, I knew a FREEPER would know!

[spetznaz]

9,000 yrs old ....but I was told that the earth was 6,000 ..... ah fuhgedaboutit! LOL.

[sagar]

"9,000 yrs old ....but I was told that the earth was 6,000"

When the earth appeared, the city was already 3000 years old and drifting in space.

[Urbane_Guerilla]

Gawd, I love these archaeology posts!

Blam's posts are the most consistently fascinating on the entire web, and I am including all topics and all websites (I have ever seen) when I say that.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam. Seems like a slow week. :')

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[SunkenCiv]

I wholeheartedly agree!

[Dustbunny]

9,000 years and it was walled. Great find.

[blam]

"Thanks Blam. Seems like a slow week. :')"

Yup. Spring has 'sprung' here. Everyone outside planting and cleaning flower beds, birds singing and etc. My Eastern Blue Birds have built a nest and have already laid their eggs. Beautiful weather.

[blam]

Thanks.

[CobaltBlue]

Jericho is defined as an extremely old "settlement", but not a "city" like Harappa or Mohenjo-Daro.

Jericho = 40,000 sq. meters, a few huts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho

Mohenjo-Daro = 30,000 - 40,000 residents, many square miles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohenjo-daro

Indus River Valley civilization:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization

[Don Carlos]

Wife and I spent two great years in Turkey (1972-74). We were always amazed by the sights and ruins that abound there. It seems everywhere we went, there were archaeological ruins, castles, ancient churches(!) and beautiful cities and towns to explore.

The airports at both Ankara and Istanbul seemed to be back in that same time period also. Both had 'bomb sight' toilets and water buckets instead of stools and paper. Some things never change!