6 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

2-Meter-Long Stone Block Found at 12,000-Year-Old Boncuklu Tarla Site in Southeastern Türkiye

A remarkable 2-meter by 20-centimeter processed stone block was discovered during the archaeological excavations at Boncuklu Tarla (Beaded Field), which illuminates the history of humanity with its 12,000-year past in the Ilısu neighborhood of the Dargeçit district of Mardin.

The region, which has hosted 25 civilizations throughout history, including Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Hittites, Assyrians, Urartians, Romans, Abbasids, Seljuks, and Ottomans, continues to reveal ancient human life.

Archaeological excavations in Boncuklu Tarla, initiated in 2012 by the Mardin Museum Directorate have been continuing and led by Associate Professor Ergül Kodaş, a faculty member in the Department of Archaeology at Mardin Artuklu University.

In Boncuklu Tarla, which has an area of approximately 2.5 hectares and was included in the ‘Heritage for the Future Project’ of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism this year, many finds belonging to the period from the Late Epipaleolithic period to the Neolithic Age have been unearthed so far.

The excavations finally uncovered the remains of a ‘public building’, which is estimated to be about 12 thousand years old.

Boncuklu Tarla. Credit: AA

This roughly 10-meter-diameter structure looks to have been in continuous use for a number of phases. It is noteworthy that the building underwent at least four renovations, each of which involved filling in the floor. This finding casts doubt on previous theories that the buildings at Boncuklu Tarla were occupied only once before being abandoned.

In the remains of the structure, a stele (worked stone block) measuring 2 metres 20 centimetres in length and many find such as miniature steles, beads, arrowheads, and bull horns were unearthed.

According to Associate Professor Ergul Kodas, the excavation leader from Mardin Artuklu University, this large stele is a groundbreaking find for the site and the Upper Tigris Valley. “For the first time, such a large stele has been discovered both at Boncuklu Tarla and in the Upper Tigris Valley,” said Kodas.

In the remains of the structure, a stele (worked stone block) measuring 2 meters 20 centimeters in length were unearthed.
In the remains of the structure, a stele (worked stone block) measuring 2 meters 20 centimeters in length were unearthed. Credit: AA

The stele is especially noteworthy because it bears similarities to those in the Sanliurfa region, indicating a historical relationship between these two regions. Moreover, a miniature replica of the stele was found inside the structure, offering more information about the connections between the areas at this time.

An invaluable window into the lives of ancient societies in the Upper Tigris Valley is offered by the discoveries made at Boncuklu Tarla. Continued excavations hold the potential to deepen our knowledge of early human civilization in Turkey by illuminating the lengthy history of the area’s architectural and cultural development.

Cover Image Credit: AA

Related Articles

Ancient settlements that challenge traditional thinking “Karahantepe and Taş Tepeler”

5 December 2021

5 December 2021

After Göbeklitepe in Şanlıurfa, which sheds light on 12,000 years ago in human history and is considered one of the...

First Female Viking Grave Discovered In Swedish Mountains

21 August 2022

21 August 2022

A mountain hiker in Jämtland, in central Sweden, on his way camping in Kalffällen, made a surprising discovery. The discovery...

The altar of Zeus Temple discovered in western Turkey

1 September 2023

1 September 2023

Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Magnesia, located in the western province of Aydın’s Germencik district, have uncovered the...

God Pan statue unearthed at Istanbul’s historical church of St. Polyeuctus

1 June 2023

1 June 2023

A Pan statue thought to belong to the Roman period was recovered during excavation works carried out by Istanbul Metropolitan...

Britain’s oldest decoratively piece of carved wood discovered in a layer of peat

8 June 2023

8 June 2023

A heavily notched oak timber found in a peat layer during construction work turned out to be the oldest piece...

Scientists reveal new discovery inside the Pyramid of Khufu

20 March 2023

20 March 2023

An Egyptian pyramid for 4,500 years is still spilling secrets. After a years-long project using modern technology to reveal the...

Thousands of Ancient Tombs Discovered in Xian

23 February 2021

23 February 2021

According to the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Institute, more than 4,600 ancient cultural remains were discovered during the expansion project of...

Unlocking the Secrets of Jersey’s Le Câtillon II: A Celtic Settlement Discovered Near the Enigmatic Hoard

12 March 2025

12 March 2025

Recent archaeological investigations near Jersey, an island in the English Channel situated just off the coast of France, have unveiled...

Archaeologists discover rare Caanite inscription on ancient ivory comb

12 November 2022

12 November 2022

Israeli archaeologists discovered a rare inscription on an ivory comb that sheds new light on the Canaanite language’s use some...

Iconic 2,500-Year-Old Coțofenești Helmet and Dacian Treasures Stolen from Dutch Museum

26 January 2025

26 January 2025

A heist at the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands, has resulted in the theft of several invaluable artifacts from the...

A stone statue (Balbal) with height up to 3 meters found in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan

18 October 2022

18 October 2022

A balbal (stone statue) with a height of up to 3 meters was found during agricultural work in the Ak-Bulun...

Apocalypse Ship of the Vikings

26 April 2021

26 April 2021

Researchers discovered a stone boat made by Vikings and surprising gifts inside a cave in Iceland. Aside from the cave,...

Digitally Reconstructed: Roman Roads That Shaped 1,000 Years of Travel Across Medieval Britain

21 May 2025

21 May 2025

Researchers digitally reconstruct medieval England and Wales’ travel routes, revealing how Roman roads shaped post-Roman mobility over a thousand years....

World-first recreation of ancient Egyptian garden open

20 May 2022

20 May 2022

Have you ever wondered what an ancient Egyptian garden was like?  This is your opportunity to find out! The first...

A Previously Unknown Bronze Age Settlement Discovered in Switzerland

18 February 2024

18 February 2024

In advance of a construction project in Heimberg, the Archaeological Service of the Canton of Bern carried out a rescue...