Free Republic

Archaeologists are excavating an ancient Neolithic site in Turkey that is believed to represent one of the earliest found in the region, potentially even predating the famous site of Göbekli Tepe. The new site, dubbed Mendik Tepe, was discovered in the Eyyübiye area in Şanlıurfa, Turkey, and offers archaeologists an unprecedented look at the early human activities in the region, contrasting in many ways with its famous nearby counterpart, now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Excavations are currently being led by Professor Douglas Baird of the University of Liverpool, supported by the British Institute of Archaeology and the...

A newly uncovered archaeological site in southeastern Turkey may predate Göbeklitepe, long considered the world’s oldest known temple complex. The discovery at Mendik Tepe, located in the rural Payamlı neighborhood of Eyyübiye district in Şanlıurfa province, is offering early insights into the Neolithic era and reshaping timelines of early human settlement in the region. Researchers believe the site may date back to the very beginning of the Neolithic period, when humans first began shifting from mobile foraging to settled living. Excavation director Prof. Douglas Baird, from the University of Liverpool’s Department of Archaeology, said the team is investigating the early...

The 11,000-year-old carving was found among the remains of a Neolithic structure in southeastern Turkey.Archaeologists in Turkey have discovered one of the world’s oldest known works of narrative art—and at the center of it is a man clutching his penis.The 12-foot-long carved panel, which forms a bench, was found last year during the excavation of the remains of a Neolithic communal structure at the archaeological site of Sayburç in southeastern Turkey. Details of the discovery were shared this week in a paper published in the latest edition of the peer-reviewed journal Antiquity.The piece, which is believed to be 11,000 years...