8 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

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

The 8,000-year-old numeral stone, which is thought to have been used while calculating during the Yeşilova Höyük (Yeşilova Mound) excavation carried out in the Bornova district of İzmir, has been found.

Ege University, Department of Archaeology faculty member, and head of the Yeşilova mound excavation, Assoc. Dr. Zafer Derin said that they discovered an equilateral quadrilateral stone the size of a broad bean during the excavations at the mound.

Stating that the stone, which they determined to be made of black hematite, was dated to 8 thousand years ago, Derin noted that such stones, which emerged from the Neolithic period, attract attention with their weight, color, and smooth surfaces.

Derin emphasized that the stone has a symbolic characteristic related to the mathematics of the prehistoric period and stated, “These types of stones have continued to be used as weights in commercial life 4,000 years before our time. It has made it easier to calculate and count in social life.”

Photo: AA

Assoc. Dr. Derin said that excavations continue in Yeşilova Mound, which brings the history of İzmir back 8,500 years and where nearly 200 finds are unearthed every year.

Yeşilova Höyük is a höyük in the Bornova district of İzmir, Turkey. It was discovered by chance in 2003 and archaeological excavations began in 2005 first under the patronage of first İzmir Archaeology Museum and the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ege University. The settlement dates back to early Neolithic period (6.500 BC) and it is the oldest one discovered in the whole region.

In progress since 2005, excavation has already revealed some critical traces of the Neolithic Age and much about the early settlers in the Izmir area off the Aegean coast, their surroundings, and their culture. For example, they lived in separate houses, with separate roof systems, unlike Catalhoyuk in middle Anatolia, where the houses are next to each other.

Cover Photo: AA

Related Articles

Exceptional Intact Etruscan Rock-Cut Tomb Discovered in Italy’s San Giuliano Necropolis

30 June 2025

30 June 2025

A remarkable discovery has emerged from the heart of Etruria: an intact Etruscan rock-cut tomb, sealed for over 2,700 years,...

The Earliest Evidence of Christianity on Bulgarian Territory Found in Roman city of Deultum

13 July 2024

13 July 2024

A silver amulet was discovered during excavations of the Deultum-Debelt National Archaeological Reserve, near the village of Debelt in the...

The ruins believed to belong to Noah’s Ark date back to 5500-3000 years BC.

26 October 2023

26 October 2023

Rock and soil samples taken from the area where the ruins of ‘Noah’s Ark‘ are believed to be located in...

Genetic Analysis Reveals A Woman As The Highest-Ranking Individual In Copper Age Spain: ‘Ivory Lady’

6 July 2023

6 July 2023

According to a study published Thursday (July 6) in the journal Scientific Reports, the highest-status individual in ancient Copper Age...

INAH Archaeologists recover the coyote-man of Tacámbaro

26 January 2022

26 January 2022

Archaeologists win the coyote-man trial that lasted 30 years in Mexico. The litigation regarding the coyote-man of Tacámbaro, an important...

Collectors In The Prehistoric World Recycled Old Stone Tools To Preserve The Memory Of Their Ancestors

16 March 2022

16 March 2022

A first-of-its-kind study at Tel Aviv University asks what drove prehistoric humans to collect and recycle flint tools that had...

1700-year-old Roman shoes and craft district found in France

3 June 2023

3 June 2023

An ancient Roman craft district was discovered by archaeologists working in the southwest of the town of Therouanne near a...

The Spoon of Diocles: Ancient Arrowhead Remover or Misunderstood Mystery?

20 July 2025

20 July 2025

In the annals of ancient surgical history, few instruments are as mysterious and debated as the Spoon of Diocles. This...

Roman influence period artifacts discovered by history enthusiasts in northern Poland

16 March 2024

16 March 2024

Local history enthusiasts from the Wendrusz Historical and Exploration Society have discovered four fibulae, a ring, and fragments of decorations...

Colossae Ancient City Excavation Works Begin

8 September 2021

8 September 2021

Excavations of the ancient city of Colossae, located in the Honaz district of Denizli province in western Turkey, are starting...

1300-year-old baby footprints found in excavations at the ancient city of Assos in western Turkey

3 September 2021

3 September 2021

1300 years ago, a baby stepped on baked bricks prepared to make a bread baking oven. The baby was probably...

Excavations in and around Yazıkaya, one of the monumental works of the Phrygians, start again after 71 years.

23 July 2022

23 July 2022

Archaeological excavations at Midas Castle in Yazılıkaya Midas Valley in the Han district of Eskişehir, located in northwest Turkey, will...

Rare 832 copper coins from the Portuguese era unearthed in Goa, India

11 November 2023

11 November 2023

In Sattari, Nanoda, in the state of Goa on the west coast of India, 832 copper coins that are believed...

3,500-Year-Old Hittite Linen Fabric Exhibited for the First Time

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

A remarkable artifact, a piece of Hittite linen fabric dating back 3,500 years, has been publicly exhibited for the first...

Britain’s oldest decoratively piece of carved wood discovered in a layer of peat

8 June 2023

8 June 2023

A heavily notched oak timber found in a peat layer during construction work turned out to be the oldest piece...