18 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

3700 years old Brain and skin remnants discovered at Bronze Age settlement in western Türkiye

Archaeologists discovered, well-preserved brain and skin remnants of two individuals dating to the Bronze Age during excavations at Tavşanlı Höyük (Tavşanlı Mound) in western Türkiye’s Kütahya province.

The excavations started in Tavşanlı Höyük, which is called the “Heart of Western Anatolia” because it looks like a heart in aerial shots, and continue in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University.

Since Tavşanlı Höyük is located on the transition route between Western Anatolia and Central Anatolia regions, the studies carried out here are crucial in terms of understanding interregional communication.

The excavations of the mound, which spans an area of 45 hectares, are carried out by the Archeology Department of Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University. A team of 25 local and foreign experts accompanies the research carried out under the chairmanship of Professor Erkan Fidan.

Photo: AA

According to experts, the discovery was noteworthy because it was the first time that skin remains had been found during archaeological excavations in Türkiye, whereas brain remains had only been found four or five times.

The brain and skin remnants of a young (15-18) and middle-aged man (40-45) were preserved through carbonization, according to Anadolu Agency (AA), adding that experts believe it belonged to two people who were unable to flee their homes after it was set on fire during an attack 3,700 years ago.

The findings were revealed at a conference organized by the European Association of Archaeologists in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Aug. 30-Sept. 2.

Photo: AA

Professor Erkan Fidan told the conference that the mound is the oldest settlement in the area and that experts believe it was the capital of the region back in the Bronze Age. He added that they believe there was a large-scale attack on the city in around 1,700 BCE and the whole city was burnt to the ground.

Meanwhile, Professor Yılmaz Selim Erdal from Hacettepe University’s Anthropology Department noted that both skeletons were exposed to high degrees of heat, which allowed the brain to be preserved inside the skull. They also noted that they found skin remnants in one of the skeletons, between the chest and abdomen, also carbonized by heat.

It was emphasized that while there have been very few instances of brain remnants found in excavations conducted in Anatolia, the presence of carbonized human skin is considered “the first and only example found in archaeological periods in Turkey,” making it highly significant.

Experts stated that they will now investigate why the attack was carried out and who carried it out.

Related Articles

3,500-Year-Old Dining Set Found at Konya Karahöyük, in Türkiye

5 September 2025

5 September 2025

Archaeologists in Türkiye have uncovered an extraordinary 3,500-year-old dining set, including a jug, plate, and cup, during excavations at Konya’s...

Europe’s oldest grave of a newborn girl found in İtaly

15 December 2021

15 December 2021

An international team of researchers has found Europe’s oldest tomb of a newborn girl, dating back 10,000 years, in Liguria....

In Lake Mendota, Wisconsin archaeologists discover the oldest canoe ever found in the Great Lakes region

23 September 2022

23 September 2022

A group of divers from Madison, Wisconsin’s Lake Mendota emerged on Thursday carrying a remarkable piece of history for the...

A Connection Between Viking Knots And Quantum Vortices Discovered

14 December 2022

14 December 2022

Scientists demonstrated how three vortices can be linked in such a way that they cannot be dismantled. Although this study...

14,000-year-old settlement discovered in western Turkey

26 November 2021

26 November 2021

During the rescue excavation carried out in a cave in Dikili, İzmir, in western Turkey, 14 thousand-year-old stone tools and...

The Lord’s Prayer Carved in Stone with Scandinavian Runes and a Picture of a Boat Discovered in Ontario, Canada

17 June 2025

17 June 2025

Hidden deep in the northern Ontario wilderness, an extraordinary archeological discovery has puzzled researchers and captured the imagination of history...

As a result of an operation in western Turkey, 4 skulls belonging to the Jivaro tribe of South American origin were seized

14 December 2021

14 December 2021

In the operation held in the Aliağa district of İzmir, 400 historical artifacts belonging to various periods were seized, including...

An Anthropologist’s life work uncovers the first ancient DNA from the Swahili Civilization

2 April 2023

2 April 2023

Chapurukha Kusimba, an anthropologist at the University of South Florida, has uncovered the first ancient DNA from the Swahili Civilization,...

A Child’s Skeleton was Unearthed During the Tozkoparan Mound Excavations

12 August 2021

12 August 2021

The skeleton of a child was unearthed during the rescue excavations carried out in the Tozkoparan mound located in Tozkoparan...

2,050-Year-Old Assembly Building Discovered in Ancient City of Laodicea Marks Architectural First in Anatolia

2 August 2025

2 August 2025

During the 2025 excavation season, archaeologists in the ancient city of Laodicea have unearthed a 2,050-year-old Roman-era assembly building with...

Salt May Have Been Used as Money in Exchanges

24 March 2021

24 March 2021

Salt has always been a precious metal. Salt was needed in many areas, from the preservation of food to the...

Relief masks discovered in Turkey’s ancient city of Kastabala

7 January 2022

7 January 2022

In the ancient city of Kastabala (Castabala), which dates back to 500 BC, located in Turkey’s southern province of Osmaniye,...

First example of Roman crucifixion in UK discovered in Cambridgeshire village

8 December 2021

8 December 2021

In Cambridgeshire village, the earliest evidence of a Roman crucifixion has been discovered. Archaeologists investigating a previously unknown Roman roadside...

The World’s Largest Pyramid Is Hidden Within a Hill in Mexico

8 October 2022

8 October 2022

The largest and tallest pyramids in the world are incredible feats of design, engineering, and construction. The Great Pyramid of...

Vindolanda marks the 1900th anniversary of Hadrian’s Wall with an altar discovery

9 February 2022

9 February 2022

The excavation season hasn’t started yet, but the Vindolanda Roman fort has kicked off Hadrian’s Wall’s 1900th anniversary year with...