18 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Runic Alphabet Symbols in the Tombs Found in the Excavations in Istanbul

In the excavations carried out by the Istanbul Archeology Museums in the area where the metro station will be built in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, which started in 2016, Kurgan-type tombs dating back to 3000-3500 BC were found.

During the fieldwork, vestiges of a tram line and depots erected in 1910 were discovered, as well as remnants from the late Ottoman and late Byzantine periods. Some tiny artifacts from the Hellenistic and Roman periods were discovered underneath this stratum, and they are regarded as “very significant” for the Bosphorus line.

However, it was at a depth of one and a half meters above sea level that archaeologists discovered the most exciting discoveries. The presence of kurgan-style graves underneath the stone rows was discovered in this region.

Because all of the oldest kurgan-type tombs discovered in the country date from the early bronze age and were buried after the cremation, the bones of the remains have cracked and disintegrated. As a result, archaeologists in the field use dental tools to complete their work meticulously.

A very delicate work is done and all the graves are opened and documented during the excavations, according to Mehmet Ali Polat, an archaeologist involved in excavations.

“Kurgan-type graves found dates back to 3,500 B.C., that is, they belong to the era that we call the first bronze period in chronology,” Polat said, adding that nearly 82 graves were found inside and outside the kurgans in rows of stones.

“A total of 75 of these 82 tombs belong to cremation, that is, bodies buried by burning. Seven of them were direct burials,” he noted.

Pointing out that two terracotta figurines were found inside a tomb, Polat drew attention to the fact that such figurines had not been found before.

“There were some symbols on the figurines. When we did some research, we saw that these were runic alphabet symbols. Symbols are seen in the Vinca culture in Romania,” Polat added.

When the tombs are evaluated together with the small finds and runic alphabet symbols, it can change the migration map from Anatolia to the Balkans, to the northeast of Europe and the Black Sea, according to the expert.

Polat announced that the findings unearthed during excavations in Beşiktaş, one of the busiest squares of Istanbul, would be exhibited to the public at the top of the metro station.

Source: Hurriyetdailynews

Related Articles

1,600-Year-Old Tomb of First Maya King Discovered in Caracol, Belize

11 July 2025

11 July 2025

Archaeologists have unearthed the 1,600-Year-Old Tomb of First Maya King at Caracol, Belize, marking one of the most significant Maya...

A Rare Design in Roman Military Architecture: Triangular Stone Tower Discovered Near Sofia

22 July 2025

22 July 2025

Bulgarian archaeologists have uncovered a triangular stone tower — a rare architectural form in Roman military design — at the...

The circular-shaped structure unearthed in Uşaklı mound may point to the holy Hittite city of Zippalanda

27 December 2022

27 December 2022

Italian-Turkish team of archaeologists led by the University of Pisa unearthed a mysterious circle-shaped structure from the Hittite era at...

Roman ‘ritual center’ discovered in England

12 January 2023

12 January 2023

Archaeologists from have discovered a Roman ritual centre during excavations near Northampton, England. The find was made by the Museum...

Celtic gold rainbow cup coin discovered in Bavaria

12 September 2023

12 September 2023

An extremely rare “rainbow cup” Celtic coin dated to the second or first century B.C. has been discovered next to...

Hoard of Thousands of Coins Buried During Europe’s Most Turbulent Years Discovered

14 September 2025

14 September 2025

Discovery in Świerszczów near Hrubieszów sheds light on everyday currency and hidden treasures of the early modern era A remarkable...

5,000-Year-Old “Küllüoba Bread” Discovered in Türkiye Reveals Ancient Baking and Fertility Rituals

30 May 2025

30 May 2025

5,000-year-old bread found in Küllüoba Höyük, Turkey reveals ancient baking methods and fertility rituals. Unique archaeological discovery with rich nutritional...

World’s Oldest Arrow Poison Discovered in South Africa, Dating Back 7,000 Years

27 January 2025

27 January 2025 1

In a groundbreaking discovery, archaeologists excavating Kruger Cave in South Africa have identified what may be the oldest confirmed multi-component...

1500-year-old Amulet Made to Ward off the Evil Eye in Galilee

26 May 2021

26 May 2021

Discovered about 40 years ago in the Galilee village of Arbel, the necklace sheds light on life 1500 years ago....

Egyptian archaeologists found 110 ancient tombs in the Nile Delta

28 April 2021

28 April 2021

The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry announced Tuesday that Egyptian archaeologists had discovered 110 burial tombs on the Nile Delta dating...

A wash-basin decorated with 2500-year-old Mythological creatures and Chariot races was discovered in Izmir, Turkey

28 September 2022

28 September 2022

Unique ceramic figures were discovered in the excavations carried out this year in the ancient city of Klazomenai in the...

The secret of the mummy in the Crystal coffin found in a garage in San Francisco

30 March 2023

30 March 2023

Mysterious mummies are a symbol of ancient lost times, which we often associate with Egypt and other ancient civilizations. Therefore,...

The Mysterious Figure of Anatolia: Alexander of Abonoteichus, the False Prophet of Rome

12 February 2025

12 February 2025

In the annals of history, few figures are as intriguing as Alexander of Abonoteichus, the self-proclaimed prophet who captivated the...

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...

2000-year-old dagger reveals the site of a long-forgotten battle between the Roman Empire and tribal warriors

16 December 2023

16 December 2023

In Switzerland, a volunteer archaeologist and dental student Lucas Schmid discovered in 2019 a 2000-year-old silver and brass dagger. It...