29 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Discovery Shedding Light on the Mysteries of Anatolia: 3500-year-old Double-Headed Eagle Seal

A grain silo and two different seal impressions, one of which is a double-headed eagle, were found during the excavation of Üçhöyük in the Bolvadin district of Afyonkarahisar in western Türkiye, which is being carried out to find the lost Hittite city of Purushanda.

This discovery sheds light on the mysteries of ancient Anatolia and at the same time demonstrates the power, status, and position of the Üçhöyük settlement as a major city in Anatolia in 1600-1700 BC.

Purushanda was an Anatolian kingdom. Purushanda was founded in the late 19th century BC, engaging in substantial trade with Mari. Purushanda was a major seat of power in the region with a “great king” before the Hittites conquered the region between 1650 and 1556 BC.

The studies at Üçhöyük, which are carried out under the scientific supervision of Professor Özdemir Koçak from the Department of History at Selçuk University, have been continuing since 2020 with a large scientific committee.  In addition to 48 academics from Turkish universities, archaeologists Professor Satoshi Urano, Professor Yukinori Fukatsu, and Professor Naoto Koiwa from Rikkyo and Hirosaki universities in Japan are also participating in the excavation.

Double-headed eagle seal. Photo: AA

This year’s excavations, carried out in collaboration with Turkish and Japanese scientists, yielded a grain silo with most of its pithos (storage jar) destroyed and two different seal stamps, one of which is a double-headed eagle.



📣 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!!



Prof. Dr. Koçak said that they encountered beautiful finds during the excavations in the area of Üçhöyük called Kuzeytepe.

‘We encountered large jars here. For the first time, we found evidence of agriculture and production. The finds reinforced our belief that this area was a public place. We had finds related to production in previous years. Perhaps we will find other areas related to production. This silo is a large pit dug into the soil. It is about 5-6 metres long and 3-4 metres wide.’

Koçak mentioned that the Üçhöyük excavation site dates back to the Bronze Age, and is one of the largest settlements in Anatolia and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Koçak stated that the silo, seals and stamp seal impressions found during the excavation prove that Üçhöyük settlement was an administrative centre.

Photo: AA

Pointing out that the seals, cylinder, and stamped ceramic sherds are the special finds of the excavation, Koçak said, ‘These finds show the power, status, and position of Üçhöyük settlement. It shows that it was a big city in Anatolia in the 1600-1700s BC. The stamp seal impression sample we found was used around the pithos or in its closure. This is an interesting example. It has a double-headed eagle motif on it. We also found cylinder seal impressions and other materials.’

Prof. Dr. Koçak stated that researchers are tackling the possibility that this settlement is the same city mentioned in Akkadian documents around 2350 BC, called Purushanda.

“These documents describe how King Sargon of Akkad raided the city of Purushanda at the request of a merchant, how he captured the city, and had depictions of himself and the king of Purushanda drawn on the city walls. Our aim is to prove that the city mentioned in these documents is Üçhöyük. This city was an important marketplace for Anatolia around 2000 BC. We have found seals dating back to 2300 BC in our excavations. All the descriptions and documents we have indicate that this place is Purushanda,” he explained.

Cover Image Credit: AA

Related Articles

Uncovering the ritual past of ancient mustatils: Cult, herding, and ‘pilgrimage’ in the Late Neolithic of north-west Arabia

16 March 2023

16 March 2023

Mustatils—stone monuments from the Late Neolithic period thought to have been used for ritual purposes—have been the subject of new...

“Exceptionally rare” gold sword pommel given to Scottish national museums

24 October 2022

24 October 2022

An “exceptionally rare” solid gold sword pommel found by a metal detectorist near Blair Drummond, Stirling, has been acquired by...

The 1000-year Curse of the Croatian King Zvonimir

26 September 2023

26 September 2023

Croatia is a fascinating country that continually rises up people’s must-visit lists thanks to its sparkling Adriatic coastline, 1,244 islands,...

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art will launch “The Painters of Pompeii” on June 26

23 June 2021

23 June 2021

A number of collection highlights will travel to North America for the first time as part of the exhibition The...

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province

12 November 2022

12 November 2022

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull was discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province. In the prehistoric era, Anatolia served as a transitional...

It may have been designed in Nevali Çori before Göbeklitepe was built

10 October 2021

10 October 2021

Göbeklitepe, Nevali Çori, Karahantepe, and Taştepeler, which will make us rethink what we know about human history, change the information...

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...

Archaeologists Discover Rare 3,800-Year-Old Clay Figurine of Frogs at Peru’s Vichama Site

31 August 2025

31 August 2025

Archaeologists in Peru have announced a remarkable discovery: a 3,800-year-old Clay figurine depicting two frogs, unearthed at the Vichama archaeological...

Name of Iranian city identified on 1800-year-old Sassanid clay seal

9 April 2024

9 April 2024

In a stunning archaeological find, the name “Shiraz” was identified on a clay sealing from the Sassanid era written in...

Archaeologists Discover 2,000-Year-Old Jug in Tajikistan Bearing Woman’s Name

4 July 2025

4 July 2025

In a discovery of rare historical and cultural significance, archaeologists in southern Tajikistan have uncovered a 2,000-year-old clay jug bearing...

Ritual Sacrifice of Pregnant Woman: Ecuador may Reflect the Community’s Fear of Her Power

28 January 2025

28 January 2025

In a remarkable archaeological find in Ecuador, researchers have uncovered the rich burial of a pregnant woman and her fetus,...

2,000-year-old graves found in ancient necropolis beneath Paris Train Station

24 April 2023

24 April 2023

Archaeologists have discovered 50 tombs in an ancient necropolis just meters from a busy train station in central Paris, and...

The remains of two new Doric temples are discovered under the Italian site of Paestum

15 January 2024

15 January 2024

Archaeologists have unearthed two new temples in the Doric style in Paestum, an ancient Greek colony in southern Italy. The...

Shetland Discoveries Seem Close to Uncovering Ancient Viking Capital

4 July 2021

4 July 2021

Important discoveries were made on the last day of excavations to find the ancient Viking capital of Shetland, through the...

70,000-Year-Old Paleolithic Neanderthal Workshop Found

17 August 2025

17 August 2025

Archaeologists in Poland have uncovered a remarkable 70,000-year-old Neanderthal workshop in the Zwoleńka River Valley, offering unprecedented insight into the...