5 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Hidden Gods of Kurul Castle: Dionysus and Pan Figurines Capture Spotlight as Dig Resumes

Excavations are set to resume next week at the ancient Kurul Castle in Ordu, the first scientifically excavated archaeological site in Türkiye’s Eastern Black Sea region.

Recent and past discoveries continue to illuminate the sacred and political life of the Hellenistic Pontic Kingdom, with striking links to the cult of Dionysus and its royal patron: King Mithridates VI Eupator.

Led by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism with support from the Ordu Metropolitan Municipality, the site has been under systematic excavation since 2010. The dig, now entering its 16th season, has brought to light more than 5,000 artifacts—including the celebrated statue of the Mother Goddess Cybele, dating to approximately 2,100 years ago.

“Kurul Castle is exceptional because it was home to a single ancient civilization, allowing us to explore uninterrupted cultural layers,” noted Uğur Toparlak, Ordu’s Director of Culture and Tourism. “This is not only a heritage site but also a rare archaeological window into religious and political life.”

Figurines of young Dionysus, Pan, and goat-shaped vessels linked to Dionysian rituals. Credit: Ordu Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

A Dionysian Cult in the Mountains of Pontus

In previous years, archaeologists uncovered a group of terracotta figurines in what is believed to be a ritual or temple space. The set includes a young Dionysus, the pastoral god Pan, and goat-shaped ceremonial vessels—all indicative of Dionysian cult practices. These figures, likely used in sacred ceremonies, reflect the deep-rooted spiritual culture that once thrived in the region.



📣 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!!



What makes the discovery especially significant is its likely connection to King Mithridates VI Eupator, the famed ruler of the Kingdom of Pontus (r. 120–63 BCE), who deliberately identified himself with the god Dionysus—a political and religious maneuver that positioned him as both mortal king and divine agent of rebirth, transformation, and power.

One of the most striking historical pieces of evidence supporting this identity comes from an inscription at Delos, dated to 94/93 BCE, in which Dicaeus, a priest of Sarapis, made a dedication on behalf of the Athenians, Romans, and explicitly, “King Mithridates Eupator Dionysus.” The fusion of king and god was not metaphorical—it was public, official, and strategic. Mithridates styled himself as a liberator of the East from Roman dominance, using Dionysus’s symbolic role as a boundary-crossing, world-reversing deity to legitimize his authority.

“To find not only Cybele, the ancient Anatolian mother goddess, but also ritual objects tied to Dionysus and Pan, gives this site a mythological richness rarely encountered in northern Anatolia,” explained excavation head Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yücel Şenyurt of Gazi University.

Goat-shaped vessel. Credit: Ordu Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism
Goat-shaped vessel. Credit: Ordu Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

Kurul Castle: Bridging Nature, History, and Mythology

Dating back approximately 2,300 years, Kurul Castle overlooks the Black Sea from a dramatic mountain ridge near Ordu’s Altınordu district. Built during the reign of Mithridates VI, the castle served not only military functions but appears to have housed significant religious activity tied to the Dionysian mysteries.

“Preparations for this year’s excavation are complete. Once preservation and site development efforts are finalized, we aim to open Kurul Castle to tourism,” said Toparlak. “Ordu has long been known for its natural beauty—but now, it will also shine through its ancient cultural heritage.”

With archaeological findings of regional and international importance, Kurul Castle is poised to become a major destination for those seeking to explore the fascinating intersection of myth, monarchy, and sacred space.

Cover Image Credit: Ordu Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

Related Articles

2,000-year-old financial record uncovered on Pilgrimage Road in the City of David, Jerusalem

17 May 2023

17 May 2023

A financial record dating back 2,000 years has been unearthed on the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David, Jerusalem’s...

Ancient Greek Marble Workshop Unearthed on Paros Island

20 May 2025

20 May 2025

The world of ancient Greek art continues to amaze modern scholars, with recent excavations on Paros Island unveiling a long-lost...

Mystery of the 1,700-year-old Mosaic Solved: The Medallion in the Mosaic uncovered to be the Symbol of a Roman Military Unit

10 August 2024

10 August 2024

The mystery of the 1,700-year-old mosaic, which was found during excavations in Amasya province in northern Turkey 11 years ago...

Evidence of the oldest hunter-gatherer basketry in southern Europe discovered in Spanish Cave

29 September 2023

29 September 2023

A team of scientists has discovered and analyzed the first direct evidence of basketry among hunter-gatherer societies and early farmers...

An Avar Warrior Buried with Lamellar Armor and Equipment Discovered in Hungary

3 February 2024

3 February 2024

Archaeologists of the Déri Museum in Debrecen (eastern Hungary) found the tomb of a fully armed and with a complete...

A Sunken Land of Life and Intelligence: The Lost World of Homo Erectus Resurfaces After 140,000 Years

25 May 2025

25 May 2025

Archaeologists discover ancient human fossils and extinct megafauna on the seafloor of the Madura Strait, revealing that Homo erectus once...

Remnants of ancient fire temple discovered in heart of Alborz mountains in Iran

26 June 2021

26 June 2021

An Iranian archaeology team has discovered relics of an ancient fire temple in Savadkuh county, located in the center of...

New Research Reveals Previously Unknown Aspects of the Construction, Use, and Ritual Significance of a Neolithic Rondel Found in Poland

12 December 2024

12 December 2024

An archaeological excavation at Nowe Objezierze in north-western Poland has uncovered a rondel dating to around 4800 BC, offering new...

An Iron Age Necropolis was discovered in the Normandy, northwestern France

11 May 2022

11 May 2022

A modest Iron Age agricultural settlement excavated at Blainville-sur-Orne in Normandy, northwest France, led to the unexpected discovery of a...

Rare Prehistoric Animal Carvings Discovered For The First Time In Scotland

31 May 2021

31 May 2021

Animal carvings thousands of years old have been found for the first time in Scotland. The carvings, estimated to be...

Assyrian Art at Getty Villa

22 June 2021

22 June 2021

The Getty Villa in Malibu, California’s arts complex is showcasing superbly-restored gypsum reliefs from the Assyrian Empire’s palaces for its...

The Oldest Semicircular Classroom in the Greek World Unearthed in Sicily

21 April 2025

21 April 2025

In a remarkable archaeological breakthrough in southern Sicily, an international team of researchers has uncovered an extraordinary ancient classroom that...

A stone bathtub, which is considered to be the first example of ‘water birth’, was found in Ani Ruins

7 September 2022

7 September 2022

A stone tub was found in the large bath, whose birth was mentioned in a work by the Turkish scholar...

Outstanding Bronze Age artifacts discovered in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France

23 August 2021

23 August 2021

Hundreds of bronze objects have been discovered buried in pottery in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The research team, led...

‘Nano lime’ protects Nemrut: Throne of the Gods

24 October 2023

24 October 2023

Last year, “nano lime” was filled with syringes to protect the tiny cracks on the large stone statues on Mount...