6 July 2025 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

The first analysis results confirm that the grave in Tiarp is one of the oldest stone burial chambers in Scandinavia

31 January 2024

31 January 2024

In Tiarp, close to Falköping, Sweden, archaeologists from Gothenburg University and Kiel University have discovered a dolmen that dates back...

To The West of Turkey Ancient Quarry Found

28 March 2021

28 March 2021

Turkey is very lucky in terms of ancient settlements. It is home to many unexplored artifacts, along with well-preserved ancient...

Symbol of Eternal Loyalty Found on Rare Medieval Sword in the Netherlands

14 June 2025

14 June 2025

A remarkable medieval sword, dating back nearly 1,000 years, has been discovered in the Dutch province of Utrecht bearing a...

Viking Gold Treasure Unearthed on Isle of Man by Veteran Metal Detectorist

2 June 2025

2 June 2025

A remarkable piece of Viking gold has been unearthed on the Isle of Man, shedding new light on the island’s...

According to researchers, the bones discovered underneath St. Peter’s Basilica may not be his

5 June 2021

5 June 2021

Three Italian researchers have voiced doubts about whether St. Peter’s bones are buried underneath the Rome basilica that bears his...

Metal Detectorist Finds on 4,000-year-old Dagger in Poland Forests

24 February 2024

24 February 2024

A copper dagger more than 4,000 years old was found in a forest near the town of Jarosław on the...

Enigmas Roman Dodecahedron Uncovered by Amateur Archaeologists in the UK

24 January 2024

24 January 2024

Amateur archaeologists have unearthed a striking Roman dodecahedron in the serene countryside of Norton Disney, England, a mysterious class of...

Archaeologists in Israel are restoring the largest Roman Basilica in the country

6 June 2021

6 June 2021

Archaeologists in Israel are trying to rebuild a 2,000-year-old Roman-era basilica that is thought to be the country’s biggest. A...

Three-Year-Old Discovers 3,800-Year-Old Canaanite Seal at Archaeological Site of Tel Azekah

2 April 2025

2 April 2025

At the site of the famous battle between David and Goliath, a three-year-old girl named Ziv Nitzan discovered a scarab-shaped...

Fragments of the World’s Oldest Known Rune Stone Discovered in Norway

3 February 2025

3 February 2025

Archaeologists have found fragments of the world’s oldest known rune stone at the Svingerud burial field in Norway and fitted...

6th Century Anglo-Saxon Warriors May Have Fought in Northern Syria

7 July 2024

7 July 2024

Researchers have suggested compelling evidence that Anglo-Saxon warriors from late sixth-century Britain participated in Byzantine military campaigns in the eastern...

Oil drilling uncovers a 2,000-year-old cemetery with giant Urn-like tombs in Southwest Iran

16 July 2022

16 July 2022

An ancient cemetery with urn-like tombs was discovered in Ahvaz, the capital city of Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran. The...

Unexpected finds under the Tel Aviv Suburban

21 August 2021

21 August 2021

In preparation for a planned residential building project in suburban Tel Aviv, archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority have begun...

Archaeologists find new clues about North Carolina’s ‘Lost Colony’ from the 16th century

11 May 2024

11 May 2024

Archaeologists from The First Colony Foundation have yielded a tantalizing clue about the fate of the Lost Colony, the settlers...

A small temple discovered in the ancient city of Selinunte, one of the largest and most important ancient Greek cities in southern Italy

9 August 2024

9 August 2024

Recent excavations in the ancient Magna Graecia city of Selinunte in southwestern Sicily have revealed the presence of a new...