Göbeklitepe, the world-renowned Neolithic site in southeastern Türkiye, will unveil a refreshed look this September following an extensive restoration, according to professor Necmi Karul, coordinator of the Taş Tepeler Project and head of the excavations at Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe.
“We have started a serious restoration effort at Göbeklitepe,” Karul told Anadolu Agency (AA) in an interview on Friday. “We are working on a comprehensive restoration project involving many of the standing stones, and this has been ongoing for about two months. By the end of September, visitors will see Göbeklitepe with a new face.”
Karul spoke during the International Archaeology Symposium and the Golden Age of Archaeology Exhibition at the Presidential Library, attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The exhibition showcased 485 artifacts unearthed for the first time, including numerous finds from the Karahantepe and Göbeklitepe excavations. Among them was what researchers say is the earliest known three-dimensional storytelling, carved into a stone vessel found at Karahantepe.
The Taş Tepeler Project has broadened the understanding of Neolithic settlements in the region, with simultaneous excavations underway at 10 sites around Şanlıurfa. Karul highlighted Karahantepe, where excavations began in 2019, as a particularly significant site.
“Karahantepe has monumental remains similar to Göbeklitepe,” he said. “Last year, we discovered numerous stone vessels inside a special building complex. These are unique for their animal motifs, the way they were grouped and the fact that they were buried in a layer of red sterile soil – something we have never encountered before.”
One find stood out: a large vessel containing a smaller one, which held animal figurines with their heads inserted into stone rings. Karul said it represents the oldest known 3D narrative, dating back to at least 10,000 years ago.
“This is a discovery of the century for Neolithic archaeology,” he said. “We believe the site is a candidate for the World Heritage Memory List and will pursue that nomination.”
The Karahantepe excavations are part of the Future Heritage Project, which has yielded similar discoveries at other Taş Tepeler sites. Karul emphasized the global significance of the Neolithic Age.
“The rise of settled life, food production and animal domestication laid the foundation for societies worldwide today,” he said. “Everything uncovered here is not only significant for us, but for the entire world.”
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has launched exhibitions to share these discoveries internationally, starting with the Roman Colosseum and soon to be held in Berlin and East Asia.
Karul stated that a protective roof will be installed at Karahantepe by the end of the year, similar to the one at Göbeklitepe, to enhance the preservation of the site and improve the visitor experience. Excavations at Göbeklitepe continue under the GT1 and GT2 roofs, with restoration efforts focused on standing stones.
Surface surveys in the Taş Tepeler region have revealed new sites each year. “We now understand that within a roughly 150-kilometer (93-mile) radius, there are dozens of settlements contemporaneous with Göbeklitepe,” Karul said. “These reflect about a 1,500-year period, and the excavation sites we chose represent different phases of that period. This helps us piece together a broader picture.”
