10 December 2023 The Future is the Product of the Past

3500-year-old ceramic oven discovered in Turkey’s Tepecik Mound

A 3,500-year-old ceramic oven was unearthed in Tepecik Mound in the Çine district of Aydın, in western Turkey.

Tepecik Höyük, which is 36 km away from Aydın, is a settlement where trade is intense, apart from being on a road that has strategic importance in every age due to its location.

Since 2004, professor Sevinç Günel of Hacettepe University’s archaeology department has presided over excavations at Tepecik Mound in the Çine Plain.

Three towers, a chamber containing goods used by the kings of the time for official visits, and obsidian used in tool manufacture were discovered as part of the 17-year excavations at the archaeological site, which was formerly recognized as a trading center. In the mound, archaeologists recently discovered an oven with ceramic tiles.

Günel, the excavation leader, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the region had settlements back-to-back for 7,500 years. Noting that they discovered evidence of life from every time in the mound, Günel noted that this demonstrated that the site was a significant economic hub in its geography.

An archaeologist work in the area of the oven in Tepecik Mound, Aydın, western Turkey. (AA Photo)
An archaeologist work in the area of the oven in Tepecik Mound, Aydın, western Turkey. (AA Photo)

“The area where we have been recently working has architectural remains and finds from 3,500 years ago. We think it is a ceramic oven. It has ceramic pieces on its tiling and a hard-filled mud-brick floor. There are also ceramic pots around it. We have samples of these pots that prove mass production was conducted here. We will have clearer information as our work will spread in the area more in the upcoming days.”

Stating that they also found a warehouse 20 meters (65 feet) away from the area of the oven, Günel said, “We found broken pieces of jars and vessels containing products in this warehouse. However, it was heavily damaged. The reason for such damage was a flood that occurred at that time. Recently we have been cleaning the broken pots in the area.”

Related Articles

Tens of Thousands of Ancient Bronze Coins Dating from the 4th Century Discovered Off Sardinia

4 November 2023

4 November 2023

A diver spotted something metallic at the bottom of the sea off the town of Arzachena in the Sassari province...

2600-year-old Med period artifacts found in Oluz Höyük, in Turkey

17 October 2022

17 October 2022

During the Oluz Höyük excavations in Amasya, artifacts dating back to the Med Kingdom period were found, dating back to...

Deer stone discovered in Kyrgyzstan

10 April 2023

10 April 2023

A deer stone was found in the Tarmal-Sai settlement in the Kochkor district of the Naryn region in eastern Kyrgyzstan....

China’s construction of the first archaeological museum which will house the famous Terracotta Warriors has been completed

19 April 2022

19 April 2022

Construction of the first archaeological museum in China’s northwestern province of Shaanxi, which will house the famous Terracotta Warriors, was...

A Rare Ancient Saber Discovered in Kyrgyzstan

5 August 2023

5 August 2023

An ancient saber (heavy military sword with a long cutting edge and, often, a curved blade) was found by three...

An architectural gem from the medieval monastery of Posa, Germany

26 July 2023

26 July 2023

Archaeological excavations have been taking place on the Posaer Berg (Posa Hill) near Zeitz (Burgenland) every year since 2017. They...

Tombs of Queens of Commagene Detected

23 September 2021

23 September 2021

The graves built by Commagene King Mithritades II (36-21 BC) for his mother Isias, his sister Antiokhis, and Antiochis’s daughter...

Man-made Viking-era cave discovered in Iceland Bigger, Older Than Previously Thought

2 June 2022

2 June 2022

Archaeologists from the Archaeological Institute of Iceland have uncovered an extensive system of interconnected structures that are not only much...

Ancient tomb with prayer-related murals found in China’s Shanxi

25 December 2021

25 December 2021

Archaeologists in north China’s Shanxi Province have found an ancient tomb dating back to the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) with murals...

Samen Underground City Getting Prepared for Public Visits

6 June 2021

6 June 2021

Samen Underground City is a unique structure in Iran and the extent of such a structure has not been observed...

Minoan civilization may have used celestial navigation techniques

3 March 2023

3 March 2023

According to a study done by an American researcher at the University of Wales, ancient civilizations may have used celestial...

2,000-year-old unique luxury Roman villa with “underfloor heating” found in Germany

3 November 2022

3 November 2022

A luxury Roman villa with a thermal bath and underfloor heating has been unearthed in Kempten, Bavaria, one of the...

1,500-year-old secret underground passage uncovered in Istanbul

15 May 2023

15 May 2023

During the ongoing excavations in the ruins of Saint Polyeuktos Church in Istanbul’s Saraçhane neighborhood, which was destroyed during the...

2,200-year-old Greek sling bullet may have been used against Jews

9 December 2022

9 December 2022

A 2,200-year-old lead sling bullet was discovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in the central Israeli city of Yavne,...

Crusade period grave field and a sword discovered in Finland

15 October 2023

15 October 2023

A large cemetery from the time of the Crusades was discovered near a medieval stone church in Salo Perttel, a...