3 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Ritualistic Dog Burials Associated with the Goddess Gula Unearthed at the Harran Archaeological Site in Southeastern Türkiye

Excavations at the Harran archaeological site in Şanlıurfa, one of the world’s oldest settlements and listed on UNESCO’s Temporary World Heritage List, unearthed four Iron Age dog burials.

Harran Archaeological Site is located at Harran Township, 44 km to the south of Şanlıurfa Province. Located at the center of the plain, called with the same name, Harran is at the junction of the roads stretching from south – to north and from east – to west. Having been settled by numerous civilisations, i.e. Old Assyrians, New Assyrians, Hittites, New Babylonians, Meds, Persians, Helens, Romans, and East Romans. The existence of the Temple of Moon God Sin at Harran has provided sanctity to this city throughout the historical ages. Harran first appears in the Book of Genesis as the home of Terah and his descendants and as Abraham’s temporary home.

Excavations at the Harran archaeological site are being carried out under the led of Prof. Dr. Mehmet Önal, Head of the Department of Archaeology at Harran University, with the support of the Turkish Historical Society, Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality, Harran University and Harran District Governorship, under the coordination of Şanlıurfa Governorship and Şanlıurfa Museum Directorate, and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

During the excavations carried out within the scope of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Heritage to the Future Project, interrelated dog burials were found for the first time.

Head of the excavation Prof. Dr. Mehmet Önal stated that the dogs buried in a ritualistic manner reminded of Gula, the goddess of healing.

Usually, dogs were only associated with the Gula cult. Gula was a Mesopotamian goddess of healing. She was known as the “healer of the land” and “the lady who makes the broken up whole again.” It is said that a dog went with her when she acted against enemies. Many dog figurines dedicated to Gula and inscribed with prayers have been found in her temples.

Stating that the burials are thought to belong to the Iron Age in 700 BC, Professor Önal said: ‘4 dog burials were found in the 2-3 meter area where the Temple of Sin was located. 2 places were prepared and the burial places were formed in the shape of a crescent. It was believed that the dog healed the disease. Looking at these burials at that time, it can be said that Goddess Gula was worshipped.’

Since dog reliefs were found in Harran Castle before, it is stated that there was a dog cult in the region at that time with the new findings. Ibn al Varag and Shaykhurrabve Dimashki indicate in their memories that the castle was previously a temple of Sabians. They belonged to a poorly understood ancient Semitic religion centered in the Upper Mesopotamian city of Harran.

Cover Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Gazete İpekyol

Related Articles

A Medieval Barbican and a Network of Passages Uncovered in Western Slovakia’s town of Trenčín

5 December 2024

5 December 2024

A medieval barbican (fortified outpost or fortified gateway), and a network of passages that acted as a sewerage system have...

Unusual Iron Age Female Grave Found in Pryssgården, Sweden

3 November 2024

3 November 2024

In an Iron Age cemetery in Sweden, archaeologists found a woman’s grave buried with a small needle and an iron...

Rare Ancient Bone Game found in Israel “Astragali”

18 August 2022

18 August 2022

Archaeologists have found a rare assemblage of animal knucklebones known as astragali used in ancient Greek games and divination in...

The 3,200-year-old perfume of Tapputi, the first female chemist in history, came to life again

24 July 2022

24 July 2022

One of the scent formulas written in Akkadian on clay tablets by Tapputi, known as the world’s first female perfumer...

In China, 2700-Year-Old Face Cream Made from Moon Milk for Men was Found

14 February 2021

14 February 2021

At a Chinese excavation site with Chinese and German researchers, evidence of a 2,700-year-old male facial cream was found. In...

Archaeologists discover rare Caanite inscription on ancient ivory comb

12 November 2022

12 November 2022

Israeli archaeologists discovered a rare inscription on an ivory comb that sheds new light on the Canaanite language’s use some...

1500-year-old Medallion Rescued From Treasure Hunters on Display in Çorum Museum

3 May 2021

3 May 2021

A 1,500-year-old gold medallion portraying a figure of Jesus Christ has been exhibited at a museum in Turkey’s northern province...

Rare medieval bone flute unearthed in Kent, southeastern coast of England

22 November 2022

22 November 2022

Archaeologists from Cotswold Archaeology have unearthed a rare medieval bone flute during excavations in Herne Bay, located in Kent, southeastern...

Human Presence in Malta Earlier Than Previously Thought: Hunter-Gatherers Navigated 100 km by Sea 1,000 Years Before Farmers

14 April 2025

14 April 2025

Recent archaeological findings have dramatically reshaped our understanding of human history in the Mediterranean, revealing that hunter-gatherers were capable of...

Thor’s hammer amulet discovered in Sweden

23 October 2022

23 October 2022

Archaeologists have unearthed the Thor’s Hammer amulet, which they call “one of its kind” in Ysby in southwestern Sweden’s Halland...

Climate and Archaic humans caused the extinction of giant camels that lived in Mongolia 27,000 years ago, a study says

3 April 2022

3 April 2022

Camelus knoblochi, a species of giant two-humped camel, survived in Mongolia alongside modern humans—and perhaps Neanderthals and Denisovans—until about 27,000...

Venice of the Pacific: The mysterious Micronesian ruins of Nan Madol

12 July 2022

12 July 2022

Sometimes art and architecture challenge our perceptions of what was formerly thought to be feasible and what our forefathers were...

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...

1,500-year-old secret underground passage uncovered in Istanbul

15 May 2023

15 May 2023

During the ongoing excavations in the ruins of Saint Polyeuktos Church in Istanbul’s Saraçhane neighborhood, which was destroyed during the...

A rare 2,500-year-old shipwreck found off the Greek island of Kythera

5 November 2021

5 November 2021

A rare shipwreck from the ancient era was discovered during the maritime survey for the Crete-Peloponnese subsea link. The Independent...