Archaeologists research 3,500-year-old history at castle ruins in northeastern Türkiye
ARDAHAN, 2 October (BelTA — Anadolu) — Archaeologists have begun
excavation work in the ruins of a castle in northeastern Türkiye,
exploring a history that dates back 3,500 years.
The excavation
in Gole in the province of Ardahan aims to understand the architectural
structure, historical layers, and settlement layout of the castle. Some
finds, such as pottery fragments, have already been unearthed.
The
excavations are being conducted with the permission of the Culture and
Tourism Ministry’s Cultural Heritage and Museums Directorate, under the
leadership of Kars Museum Director Hakim Aslan and with the supervision
of archaeologist Aysegul Akin Aras from Ardahan University. The project
is supported by the university, Gole District Governorship, and Gole
Municipality.
‘Excavations also to examine region’s ties with Urartu’
Kars
Museum director and the excavation head, Hakim Aslan, told Anadolu that
rescue excavations have begun at the historical castle.
Situated
on a dominant point in the region, he emphasized the site’s strategic
importance, saying: “Surface surveys had been conducted in Ardahan
before, but this is the first archaeological excavation. That makes our
work significant.”
“Another key aspect is that we are working in
an area that can be dated to the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age. As
excavations progress, we will obtain more precise dating results. In
addition, there are Urartian inscriptions in this region. Urartian
sources also mention this area. Our work will provide important clues to
better understand the relationship between this region and the
Urartians,” he said.
‘Finds indicate Late Bronze-Early Iron Age origins’
Speaking
to Anadolu, Akin Aras, who is involved in the excavation, also
underlined that the archaeological work at Tigem Castle is a first for
Ardahan.
“Since no castle from the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age had
been excavated in this region, that period had not been clearly
defined. The settlement’s location, its defensive architecture, and the
finds from previous surface surveys indicate that the castle belongs to
this era,” she explained.
Located at an altitude of around 2,100
meters, the castle overlooks the Gole Plain and surrounding roads, and
the castle’s position on the route to the Caucasus increased its
importance, said Aras.
“We can say that the way of life here
about 3,500 years ago was similar to today. The castle is surrounded by
vast pastures. This suggests that people living here in that era engaged
in animal husbandry,” she said.
“Considering the geographical
conditions, it is understood that, as in modern times, livestock farming
was the foundation of life in this region,” she added.
