8 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

6,000-Year-Old Temple with Blood Channel and Altar Unearthed in Eastern Türkiye

Archaeologists have discovered a 6,000-year-old temple site during ongoing excavations in the village of Tadım, located in Elazığ Province, eastern Türkiye. The site, dating back to the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, reveals one of the earliest known examples of ritual architecture in the Upper Euphrates Basin.

The excavation project, conducted under the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and led by the Elazığ Museum Directorate, focuses on the Tadım Fortress and Mound (Tadım Höyüğü), a prominent archaeological mound standing approximately 35 meters tall and covering an area of 210 by 160 meters. This site is believed to have been a significant religious and settlement center for ancient communities.

Ritual Structures and Sacrificial Evidence

In the 80–81 numbered grid sections of the mound, researchers unearthed a temple complex featuring a ritual “blood channel” containing human and animal remains, along with an altar stone bearing knife marks. These findings suggest that sacrificial rituals—possibly involving both animals and humans—were performed as offerings to deities, reflecting the spiritual beliefs of the period.

The team also uncovered four podiums, likely used for placing votive offerings, a sacred hearth, and various ceremonial and domestic items. Among the artifacts were:

6,000-Year-Old Temple with Blood Channel and Altar Unearthed in Elazığ. Credit: İsmail Şen / Anadolu Agency (AA)
6,000-Year-Old Temple with Blood Channel and Altar Unearthed in Elazığ. Credit: İsmail Şen / Anadolu Agency (AA)

Nakhchivan-style pottery,

Seal stamps used in agricultural transactions,

Arrowheads and tools from daily life,

Spindle whorls for textile production, and

Idol figurines made of stone, clay, and bone—representing early forms of symbolic or religious expression.

Insights Into Early Urbanization

Excavation supervisor Ergün Demir noted that the architectural remains consist of rubble foundations with mudbrick walls, a construction method that provided resistance to natural disasters and invasions. The layout suggests a pattern of closely spaced structures, indicating early forms of urban planning and communal living.

“This period marks the beginning of more organized settlements in the region,” Demir said. “The evidence from Tadım shows not only religious practices but also early signs of social complexity and economic activity.”

Artifacts uncovered include offering podiums, a sacred hearth, stamp seals, Nakhchivan-style pottery, arrowheads, spindle whorls, and wall remnants. Credit: İsmail Şen / Anadolu Agency (AA)
Artifacts uncovered include offering podiums, a sacred hearth, stamp seals, Nakhchivan-style pottery, arrowheads, spindle whorls, and wall remnants. Credit: İsmail Şen / Anadolu Agency (AA)

A Key Site in Anatolian Archaeology

Tadım Höyüğü is now recognized as one of the most promising archaeological sites in eastern Türkiye. The region, located near the Euphrates River, has long been considered a cultural crossroads, linking Mesopotamia to Anatolia. The ongoing excavations are expected to shed further light on trade, agriculture, and belief systems of prehistoric societies.

Ahmet Demirdağ, Elazığ’s Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, emphasized the significance of the discovery: “This is the first known temple site in the region. The findings give us a rare glimpse into life here 6,000 years ago—how people lived, worked, and worshiped. As we continue to dig, we believe we’ll uncover even older layers of history beneath.”

Excavations are also being carried out at other key locations in Elazığ, including Harput Castle, Palu Fortress, and Salkaya Village, as part of a broader effort to uncover and preserve the region’s rich cultural heritage.

Cover Image Credit: İsmail Şen / Anadolu Agency (AA)

Related Articles

Archaeologists Uncover Extensive Ancient Irrigation Network in Eridu, the World’s First City

8 March 2025

8 March 2025

Recent research by a multidisciplinary team of archaeologists and geologists has revealed that the Eridu region of southern Mesopotamia, inhabited...

Archeological park to be built at suburban Shanghai ancient ruins site in China

20 October 2021

20 October 2021

An archeological park will be built at the Qinglong Town ruins site of Baihe in Qingpu District as part of...

Ancient Mesopotamian Cylinder Seals Offer Clues to the Origin of Writing

6 November 2024

6 November 2024

Researchers from the University of Bologna have discovered an association between proto-cuneiform and even older stone images engraved on ancient...

In the ancient city of Syedra: a unique mosaic with the 12 labors of Heracles depicted on a single panel found

25 July 2022

25 July 2022

During the excavations in the ancient city of Syedra in the Alanya district of Antalya, approximately 164 square meters of...

The exciting discovery of a 4000-year-old stone box grave in western Norway

10 November 2023

10 November 2023

Archaeologists report an extremely important 4,000-year-old stone box grave has been unearthed in Western Norway, describing it as the most...

Failed Mongol fleet may actually land in Japan after 800 years

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

A  recent shipwreck was found off the coast of Japan this year and identified as part of a Mongol fleet...

9th-Century Slave-Built Large-Scale Agricultural System Discovered in Southern Iraq

3 June 2025

3 June 2025

A recent archaeological study has unveiled compelling evidence of a vast agricultural infrastructure in southern Iraq, believed to have been...

Archaeologists discover a 4,000-year-old stone board game in Oman

10 January 2022

10 January 2022

The joint Polish-Omani archaeology team has discovered a 4,000-year-old stone board game whilst excavating a Bronze Age and Iron Age...

‘Australia’s silk road’: the quarries of Mithaka Country dating back 2100 years

4 April 2022

4 April 2022

In Queensland’s remote Channel Country of red dirt and gibber rock, traditional owners and archaeologists have unearthed what researchers have...

A Small Sandstone Carved With A Viking Ship May Be Oldest Picture Ever Found In Iceland

16 June 2023

16 June 2023

Archaeologists in East Iceland have found a sandstone carved with a Viking ship that may be the oldest picture ever...

Giant handaxe discovered at Ice Age site in Kent, UK

8 July 2023

8 July 2023

Researchers in Kent in southeastern England have discovered a prehistoric handaxe so big it would have been almost impossible to...

An 8,000-year-old number stone found in Yeşilova Mound

27 July 2023

27 July 2023

The 8,000-year-old numeral stone, which is thought to have been used while calculating during the Yeşilova Höyük (Yeşilova Mound) excavation...

Christians Supplied Medieval Pagans with Horses for Sacrifice for Funeral Rituals

20 May 2024

20 May 2024

In the late medieval period, pagans in the Baltic region of northern Europe imported horses from neighboring Christian nations for...

Ancient Roman 3rd-century defensive wall found in Germany

24 March 2024

24 March 2024

An exciting archaeological discovery was made during construction work in Aachen’s city center, Germany. At the corner of Pontstrasse and...

Hagia Sophia May Collapse: Experts Sound Alarm Over 1,500-Year-Old World Heritage Monument

30 June 2025

30 June 2025

Beneath the grandeur of Hagia Sophia’s golden domes and sacred mosaics lies a ticking time bomb. With over 1,500 years...