14 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Early Anatolian Genes: Genetic Links Between Girmeler Mound and 17,000-Year-Old Pınarbaşı Skeletons

Recent archaeological excavations at Girmeler Mound, located near the ancient Lycian city of Tlos in southwestern Türkiye, have not only unveiled significant evidence of human occupation dating back to the late 9th and 8th millennia BC but have also led to groundbreaking genetic studies that identify early Anatolian genetic markers.

These findings, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Akdeniz University, reveal that the first settlement at Girmeler dates back 14,000 years, providing crucial insights into the genetic lineage of early agricultural communities in southwestern Anatolia.

Excavation work is being carried out in the area in Girmeler Quarter with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Akdeniz University, under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Taner Korkut and the field responsibility of Prof. Dr. Burçin Erdoğu.

The investigations, conducted between 2011 and 2013 by the Tlos Excavation Project under the auspices of the Turkish General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, revealed a complex settlement characterized by structures featuring lime-plastered floors, hearths, and storage bins. These findings suggest that the inhabitants were part of a sedentary community engaged in intensive hunting and gathering practices. Notably, the trial trenches uncovered a structure with at least two layers of lime-plastered flooring, indicating a long-term occupation.

In addition to the late 9th/early 8th millennium BC findings, the excavations also provided evidence of an Early Pottery Neolithic period at the end of the 8th millennium BC. Archaeologists discovered several buildings with terrazzo floors, hinting that Girmeler Cave may have served as a sacred site during this time. The presence of superimposed terrazzo floors and wattle-and-daub superstructures suggests that the community had developed advanced architectural techniques.



📣 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!!



Credit: AA

Recent findings indicate that people living in Girmeler during the 9th millennium BC resided in round, planned huts and were experimenting with agriculture for the first time. Despite being a hunter-gatherer society, they were also trying their hand at farming, marking a significant development as this is the first evidence of such practices in Western Anatolia. This challenges the long-held belief that migration waves from east to west led to the establishment of the first settlements around 7000 BC.

Erdoğu emphasized that the people of Girmeler are likely the ancestors of nearly all settled agricultural communities in Western Anatolia. The excavation has also uncovered graves belonging to the inhabitants, with the skeletons representing the oldest known remains in Western Anatolia. Ancient DNA studies conducted on these skeletons revealed early Anatolian genetic markers. The genes were found to be similar to those of the Pınarbaşı skeletons, known as “Anatolian genes,” dating back to around 17,000 BC.

Furthermore, Girmeler is significant for being one of the first sites to transition to ceramic and pottery production in Western Anatolia. The excavation has revealed three special buildings that appear to have been used for gatherings, ceremonies, and ritual activities. These structures, made with a terrazzo floor mixed with small stone fragments and decorated with geometric or linear patterns, indicate advanced architectural practices. One of these special buildings contained burials, marking a first in the archaeology of Western Anatolia.

The findings at Girmeler mound settlement challenge previous assumptions about the region’s pre-Neolithic and Neolithic periods, suggesting that early sedentism in southwestern Turkey developed along distinct paths compared to other areas, such as Central Anatolia and the Aegean islands. The absence of pottery in the earlier layers further emphasizes the unique characteristics of this settlement, which contrasts with contemporaneous sites known for their pottery production.

The excavation has also uncovered graves belonging to the inhabitants, with the skeletons representing the oldest known remains in Western Anatolia
The excavation has also uncovered graves belonging to the inhabitants, with the skeletons representing the oldest known remains in Western Anatolia. Credit: AA

Moreover, the chipped stone tools discovered at the site, primarily made from flint, indicate a different technological approach compared to other regions. The lack of microliths and the dominance of flake-based technology suggest that the inhabitants of Girmeler Cave had their own distinct cultural practices.

As researchers continue to analyze the artifacts and structures uncovered at Girmeler Cave, the site promises to enhance our understanding of early human life in this part of Türkiye. The new data sheds light on the cultural and subsistence practices that shaped the region’s history, revealing a complex interplay between environment, technology, and social organization during a pivotal time in human development.

The ongoing study of Girmeler Mound may ultimately contribute to a broader understanding of the Neolithic transition in southwestern Anatolia and its implications for the development of sedentary societies.

Anadolu Agency (AA)

Cover Image Credit: AA

Takaoğlu, T., Korkut, T., Erdoğu, B., & Işın, G. (2014). Archaeological evidence for 9th and 8th millennia BC at Girmeler Cave near Tlos in SW Turkey. Documenta Praehistorica, 41, 111-118. DOI: 

https://doi.org/10.4312/dp.41.6

Related Articles

2,700-year-old Children’s Cemetery unearthed in Turkey’s Tenedos

2 March 2024

2 March 2024

A 2700-year-old children’s cemetery was discovered during ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Tenedos in Bozcaada,  southeast of the...

Love and hate in ancient times: Exploring Magical Texts

6 February 2024

6 February 2024

Love and hate are universal emotions that have persisted throughout human history. Ancient civilizations developed their own distinct methods of...

Tutankhamun of Kazakhstan, “Golden Man”

1 August 2024

1 August 2024

The Golden Man, the main symbol of Kazakhstan’s independence, is a warrior’s costume from about the 5th century BC that...

Ancient Mastaba Tomb of Royal Physician “Magician of the Goddess Selket” discovered in Sakkara

7 January 2025

7 January 2025

In the southern region of the Saqqara archaeological site, a joint French-Swiss archaeological team made an important discovery uncovering the...

Scientists reveal new discovery inside the Pyramid of Khufu

20 March 2023

20 March 2023

An Egyptian pyramid for 4,500 years is still spilling secrets. After a years-long project using modern technology to reveal the...

Dog Kajtuś uncovers Poland’s biggest treasure of the past 100 years

21 April 2022

21 April 2022

A dog named Kajtuś discovered the biggest treasure found in Poland in the last 100 years. The treasure was found...

The Catacombs of Commodilla in Rome will open to the public for the first time

21 September 2022

21 September 2022

The fourth-century Catacombs of Commodilla in Rome’s Garbatella district will reopen to the public soon after the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission...

Unveiling a Roman Settlement Beyond the Empire: New Discoveries in Delbrück-Bentfeld, Germany

6 April 2025

6 April 2025

Recent archaeological excavations in Delbrück-Bentfeld, located in northwestern Germany, have revealed significant evidence of a Roman settlement that existed beyond...

Buried Treasure of Trajan’s Forum: Colossal Marble Head Discovered

23 June 2025

23 June 2025

A remarkable archaeological discovery has emerged from the heart of imperial Rome. During recent excavations on Via Alessandrina—funded by Italy’s...

The Worst Torture Device in History “Brazen Bull”

2 February 2021

2 February 2021

Agrigentum Tyranny today is in the provincial borders of Agrigento in the Sicily Autonomous Region in the southwest of Sicily....

3,000-Year-Old Eyeliner Innovative Formula Discovered in Iran: A Unique Iron Age Kohl Without Lead

17 July 2025

17 July 2025

Ancient black eyeliner found in Iron Age graves reveals a previously unknown cosmetic recipe using graphite and manganese oxide, predating...

Archaeologists Discover Unique Hieroglyphic Version of Ptolemy III’s Canopus Decree

10 September 2025

10 September 2025

Archaeologists in Egypt uncover a rare and complete hieroglyphic version of the Canopus Decree of King Ptolemy III at Tell...

27,000-year-old Pendants made from giant sloths suggest earlier arrival of people in the Americas

16 July 2023

16 July 2023

Archaeologists discovered three pendants made from the bony material of an extinct giant sloth in a rock shelter in central...

The oldest grave in northern Germany 10,500 years old

14 October 2022

14 October 2022

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest known human remains in northern Germany in a 10,500-year-old cremation grave in Lüchow, Schleswig-Holstein. The...

1700 years ago the Korean peninsula had more genetic diversity than in our time, “Facial reconstruction possible through DNA analyses”

22 June 2022

22 June 2022

An international team led by The University of Vienna and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in collaboration...