28 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Lost Children’s Circle: Seven Infant Remains Unearthed in Mysterious Hittite Ritual Structure at Uşaklı Höyük

At the heart of Uşaklı Höyük (Uşaklı Mound), archaeologists have uncovered the “Lost Children’s Circle” — a mysterious Hittite-era ritual structure where the remains of seven infants lay hidden for over three millennia.

Uşaklı Höyük, a windswept mound on the Central Anatolian plateau, has long been a treasure trove for archaeologists. This summer, the 18th excavation campaign by the Italian Archaeological Mission in Central Anatolia revealed one of the site’s most haunting and enigmatic finds yet: the remains of infants, discovered in a context that may point to a ritual space from the Hittite era, over 3,000 years ago.

The 2025 season, led by researchers from the University of Pisa in collaboration with Turkish and international institutions, focused on three main areas of the site. Among these, the most intriguing work took place in Area F, home to the mysterious “Circular Structure” first uncovered in 2021. Previous seasons left archaeologists wondering about its function; the latest finds may finally offer some answers.

Students, workers, and archaeologists engaged in the initial stages of excavating a new trench in Area F. Credit: University of Pisa
Students, workers, and archaeologists engaged in the initial stages of excavating a new trench in Area F. Credit: University of Pisa

A Ritual Space in Stone

The Circular Structure, built of carefully laid stone blocks, sits on a terrace north of the citadel. New excavations revealed late Hittite-period walls that respected the structure’s boundaries, suggesting it retained its importance over centuries. Layers of stone pavements on its eastern side tell a story of repeated use.

But it was the soil above one such pavement that held the season’s most poignant discovery: a tiny tooth belonging to an infant. This was not the first such find—archaeologists have already uncovered a nearly complete skeleton of another infant, the remains of a newborn, and partial bones from at least four more perinatal individuals in the same area.

Unlike formal burials, these remains were found scattered or deposited alongside animal bones, ash, and fragments of ceramic vessels. Such arrangements hint at ritual practices, though the exact nature remains uncertain. Ancient Near Eastern societies often treated children’s remains differently from adults, sometimes placing them in homes or special areas rather than cemeteries. At Uşaklı Höyük, the connection between the infants and the monumental Circular Structure suggests a dedicated space for rites involving the youngest members of the community—whether as acts of mourning, dedication, or something more symbolic.

A layer covered with ash in the trench of Area K. Credit: University of Pisa
A layer covered with ash in the trench of Area K. Credit: University of Pisa

Unlocking Ancient Lives Through Science

The infant tooth could prove invaluable for science. Its excellent preservation means it may yield not only an exact radiocarbon date but also ancient DNA, offering rare biological insights into Hittite populations. The analysis will be carried out by specialists at the Human_G laboratory of Hacettepe University, whose results could reshape our understanding of the site’s ancient inhabitants.

These finds also feed into the ongoing debate over whether Uşaklı Höyük was in fact the ancient city of Zippalanda, a major Hittite religious center dedicated to the Storm God. References in cuneiform tablets describe temples, royal residences, and elaborate rituals—features that match the monumental buildings and ceremonial layout uncovered at the site.

A Settlement Through the Ages

While the infant remains captured headlines, the 2025 campaign also brought fresh insights into Uşaklı Höyük’s long history. On the citadel’s summit, archaeologists uncovered Iron Age to Hellenistic occupation layers, including paved courtyards, pillar bases, and a distinctive four-legged stone brazier. Notably absent were medieval layers, suggesting the summit was unsuitable for later habitation, unlike the lower city.

Excavations also revealed destruction layers from the Middle Iron Age, filled with burnt stones, ash, and pottery fragments—signs of a dramatic event in the site’s past. Charcoal samples from these contexts could soon refine the site’s chronology.

Specialist studies of animal bones, plant remains, and pottery are deepening the picture of daily life. From domesticated sheep, goats, and cattle to wild deer and boar, the faunal remains speak of a varied diet and a landscape that blended cultivated fields with wooded areas. Ceramic analysis is revealing what people cooked, stored, and served, offering a tactile connection to lives lived millennia ago.

Animal remains found in a large Late Period pit in Area F.Credit: University of Pisa
Animal remains found in a large Late Period pit in Area F. Credit: University of Pisa

Why Uşaklı Höyük Matters

First settled at the end of the Early Bronze Age, Uşaklı Höyük remained inhabited almost continuously until the Middle Ages. It occupies a strategic position in modern-day Yozgat province, along ancient routes that connected Central Anatolia with the wider Near East. Its monumental architecture, rich material culture, and tantalizing textual links to the Hittites make it a key site for understanding the political, religious, and social fabric of the ancient world.

The “Lost Children’s Circle” discovery adds a deeply human dimension to that story. It reminds us that archaeology is not only about palaces and kings, but also about the intimate, sometimes sorrowful, traces of everyday life—and death.

As scientific analysis continues, the team hopes to uncover not only the identities of these children but also the meaning behind their placement in such a prominent and enduring structure. For now, the Circular Structure stands as both a monument to Hittite engineering and a silent witness to rituals whose significance is only beginning to be understood.

University of Pisa

Cover Image Credit: Uşaklı Höyük, the mound and part of the so-called terrace seen from the north (drone photo). Below, Area F with the Circular Structure is visible; at the top of the image, Area A with the large Building II can be recognized. On the summit of the citadel, along the southern edge, is the new excavation square. University of Pisa

Related Articles

Oldest Recorded Gynecological Treatment

7 February 2021

7 February 2021

In their latest research, scientists have come across a treatment practice in a mummy from 4000 years ago, as written...

Long-Awaited Excavation to Commence at Mount Ararat ‘Noah’s Ark’ Site

9 May 2025

9 May 2025

The legendary search for Noah’s Ark, a tale that has captivated imaginations and spurred countless expeditions for generations, is poised...

1,800-Year-Old Gold Ring with ‘Venus the Victorious’ Carving and Carolingian Coins Discovered in France

25 December 2024

25 December 2024

Archaeologists from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) have discovered a 1,800-year-old gold ring with a chiseled...

4000-year-old boat salvaged near the ancient city of Uruk one of the most important cities in ancient Mesopotamia

6 April 2022

6 April 2022

A team of archaeologists from the Iraqi German Mission of the State Board of Antiquities and the Orient Department of...

The inner wall was reached during the excavations of the tomb of the poet Aratos in the Soli Pompeiopolis Ancient City

13 August 2021

13 August 2021

The inner wall was reached during the excavations of the tomb of Aratos, the famous poet and astronomer of the...

Using 3D scanners, archaeologists have identified the person who carved Jelling Stone Runes

29 September 2023

29 September 2023

Researchers at the National Museum of Denmark using 3D scans have identified who carved the Jelling Stone Runes, located in...

Well-preserved Ming Dynasty tomb unearthed in China’s Shanxi Province

17 March 2024

17 March 2024

Archaeologists from the Shanxi Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology have unearthed a well-preserved tomb from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)...

The World’s Oldest Smiling Water Flask with Emoji will be on display

4 July 2021

4 July 2021

After the collapse of the Hittite Empire, the Late Hittite States was established in Anatolia and Syria. One of these...

Archaeologists may have found the lost 2,000-year-old ancient city of Bassania in Albania

19 June 2022

19 June 2022

Polish archaeologists may have discovered the 2,000-year-old lost city of Bassania in Albania. The remains of two large ancient stone...

Archaeologists discovered 22 mummies wrapped in bundles, mainly children and newborns in Peru

7 December 2023

7 December 2023

The mummified burials of 22 people, mostly young children and newborn babies, were found in the Peruvian town of Barranca...

The ‘extraordinary’ Roman mosaic depicting scenes from Homer’s Iliad unearthed in a Rutland farmer’s field is the first of its kind in England

25 November 2021

25 November 2021

The 1,500-year-old mosaic discovered by a farmer was considered Britain’s “most exciting” Roman find. The artwork was discovered on private...

Knights-era painting found behind bricked-up arch at Museum of Archaeology in Malta

30 November 2021

30 November 2021

A newly found Knights-era painting hidden behind a bricked-up arch at the Museum of Archaeology might give insight into the...

The world’s northernmost Palaeolithic settlement has been discovered on Kotelny Island in the Arctic

20 August 2021

20 August 2021

During the Paleolithic period, hominins lived in tiny groups and subsisted by collecting plants, fishing, and killing or scavenging wild...

The Discovery of nobleman Khuwy could rewrite Egypt history

25 October 2021

25 October 2021

The mummified corpse of an ancient Egyptian nobleman named Khuwy, discovered in 2019, showed the ancient Egyptians were carrying out...

Bronze Age Settlement and Neolithic Relics Found at Skaņkalne Hillfort in Latvia

9 August 2025

9 August 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered remarkable evidence of ancient human habitation during the latest excavations at Skaņkalne Hillfort, offering fresh insights into...