16 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

8000-year-old unique “fish-figure” small home tool found in Turkey

During this year’s excavations in the Yeşilova and Yassıtepe mounds in İzmir, a unique “fish-figure” small home tool was found.

The small tool made of bone dates back 8,000 years and was used for cleaning fish scales.

Head of Excavation Assoc. Dr. Zafer Derin said that the find in the shape of a fish figure has never been seen similar before.

Excavations in the Yeşilova and Yassıtepe mounds continue with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Bornova Municipality, and Ege University.

Fish figüre. Photo: Kadir Özen/ İZMİR, (DHA)
Fish figüre. Photo: Kadir Özen/ İZMİR, (DHA)

During the excavations, the city was dated 8,500 years ago, and 9 villages that were built on top of each other were unearthed. In addition, many remains such as sea bream, sea urchin, oysters, and mussels belonging to thousands of years ago were found during the excavations. It was understood from these excavations that the first people of Izmir consumed sea products, especially mussels, just like the inhabitants of today’s city.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



During this year’s excavations, another remarkable find was unearthed. It was stated that the 8,000-year-old find was made from a 15-centimeter bone and in the form of a fish figure, and the tool was used for cleaning fish scales.

Head of Excavation Assoc. Dr. Zafer Derin said, “We have not seen such an example in Western Anatolia, in the Aegean Region. Photo: Kadir Ozen/ IZMIR, (DHA)
Head of Excavation Assoc. Dr. Zafer Derin said, “We have not seen such an example in Western Anatolia, in the Aegean Region. Photo: Kadir Ozen/ IZMIR, (DHA)

Head of Excavation Assoc. Dr. Zafer Derin said, “A tool made of bone representing a fish. It has scratches from heavy use. An interesting tool where various details are engraved, up to the scales and tail of the fish. We have not seen a similar example in Western Anatolia or the Aegean Region. A daily tool that belonged to the first Aegean and Izmir people 8 thousand years ago,” he said.

Providing information about the find, Assoc. Dr. Derin said, “The first Aegean people are a culture that lived together with the sea. Our find is also about the sea, water and fish. People of that period used various tools to clean fish. We also found such a tool from that period. This is a fish-shaped spatula made of bone, used for cleaning fish. We can see formed traces while cleaning fish scales on it. We see that the first people of Izmir transformed even a simple tool into an art form suitable for their lives.”

Related Articles

3500-year-old menhir discovered in Mahbubabad, India

15 March 2022

15 March 2022

Six feet in height stone, also called a menhir, was found on the roadside of Ellarigudem, a hamlet of Beechrajupally...

1st Century BCE Medusa Mask Mold Discovered in Ancient Finziade, Sicily

24 January 2025

24 January 2025

At the Finziade archaeological site in the Sicilian town of Licata, archaeologists have discovered a mask mold that could represent...

Europe’s Oldest Blue Pigment Found in Stone Age Paint Box

30 September 2025

30 September 2025

Archaeologists in Germany have uncovered the earliest evidence of blue pigment ever used in Europe, rewriting our understanding of Stone...

An Elamite inscription attributed to Xerxes the Great was found at Persepolis

26 February 2022

26 February 2022

During the classification and documentation project of inscribed objects and fragmentary inscriptions in the Persepolis Museum reserves, experts discovered a...

Stone Age Loved to Dance to the Rhythm of the Elk Tooth Rattles

4 June 2021

4 June 2021

Thousands of years ago, people danced frequently and to the rhythm. This is the conclusion of the discovery of elk...

Turkish Ancient Cemetery will be İntroduced to the World

25 March 2021

25 March 2021

We would not be exaggerating if we say that Ahlat, which is a naive district of Bitlis on the shore...

2,000-year-old stone faces and engravings emerge amid severe drought in Amazon

24 October 2023

24 October 2023

As a result of record-low water levels brought on by the region’s worst drought in over a century, faces carved...

2,300 Years Old First Complete Ancient Celtic Village and Roman Settlement Discovered in Munich

22 October 2023

22 October 2023

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient Celtic village and evidence of a smaller Roman settlement in Munich, Germany. The 2,300-year-old Celtic...

A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

The recent underwater excavations off the coast of Türkiye have unveiled an extraordinary find that has captivated scientists: olive pits...

Surprisingly High-Altitude Silk Road Cities Discovered in Uzbek Mountains

25 October 2024

25 October 2024

Archaeologists have discovered two lost medieval cities in the eastern mountains of Uzbekistan that were important hubs on the ancient...

Traces of the Battle of Thymbra: Two Lydian Soldier Skeletons and A Helmet Found in the Ancient City of Sardis

13 August 2024

13 August 2024

During the archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Sardes, the capital of the Lydian Kingdom in western Türkiye, traces...

Research Uncovers a Long-Isolated North African Human Lineage in the Central Sahara from Over 7,000 Years Ago

4 April 2025

4 April 2025

A recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, including senior author...

Gate sanctuary discovered during the excavation of Archanes palace in Crete, belonging to the oldest civilisation in Europe

24 October 2024

24 October 2024

Recent excavations at the Archanes Minoan palace in Crete, belonging to the oldest civilisation in Europe, have revealed an important...

At Göbeklitepe, believed to be the earliest known Mesolithic temple complex, grinding stones were discovered

26 October 2022

26 October 2022

A recent discovery at Göbeklitepe, the oldest known Mesolithic temple complex, has revealed grinding stones, new finds expected to shed...

Statue of Roman Emperor Hadrianus found in western Turkey

14 September 2021

14 September 2021

Excavations in the ancient city of Alabanda in the western province of Aydin have uncovered pieces of the statue of...