Ongoing excavation efforts at Kastabala Ancient City, located within Osmaniye province in southern Türkiye, reveal significant historical findings. Recognized as one of the region's oldest sacred cities, Kastabala is a pivotal cultural crossroads where Eastern and Western civilizations, including Ancient Greek and Anatolian cultures, converged. These excavations are part of the "Future Heritage Project," a collaborative initiative between Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Osmaniye Korkut Ata University.
Among the most significant recent discoveries is the uncovering of an open-air rock sanctuary, a site believed to date back to earlier periods and located adjacent to the central temple. The excavation work has also revealed various remains of the temple itself, offering crucial insights into the region's ancient religious and cultural practices.
According to associate professor Faris Demir, the head of the excavation team, the 2023 excavations revealed the remains of what is believed to be the oldest and largest temple in the region. This discovery garnered widespread attention, ranking third among Türkiye’s top archaeological finds of 2023 and sixth in Europe, showcasing the importance of the site on both a national and international scale. Ongoing efforts into 2024 focus on the Archaic Period temple, dating to around 540 B.C.
In addition to the temple, the team uncovered the open-air rock sanctuary, which is believed to have been used for religious ceremonies. Demir explained that the area contains an altar base for cult statues and two round, stone-built cisterns. These cisterns, located near the temple are thought to have been used for religious rituals. Over time, the rocky terrain was repurposed as a stone-cutting site, and the stones extracted were later used to construct the Archaic temple.
The site’s religious importance is underscored by the numerous discoveries made. Burhan Torun, Provincial Culture and Tourism director, emphasized that Kastabala, also known as Hieropolis, is widely regarded as a “sacred city.” Torun pointed out that the area, which includes what is believed to be a temple complex, has yielded continuous evidence of the region's spiritual history. Notably, the remains of a Kubaba-era temple, dating to the Hellenistic period, have been found, further linking the site to ancient religious practices.
The nearby cisterns and stone-cutting areas reinforce the belief that the site was central to religious rituals and ceremonies. These findings provide critical insights into how the ancient inhabitants of Kastabala may have used the site for both sacred and practical purposes.
