The archaeological work at the ancient city of Anazarbus, located in the Kozan district of southern Adana province, has unearthed significant finds revealing that the city dates back to 5000 B.C. The finds put the city's founding fathers in the Chalcolithic age, also known as the Stone Age.

The ancient Cilician city of Anazarbus, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, is among the most magnificent, picturesque sites of Anatolia. The ancient city is home to several monumental structures including a stunning triumphal arch, a fine colonnade street and the ancient city walls. Archaeological work in the city started in 2013 and has turned the site into one of the most significant archeological locations in the region.

Recent excavations have led to the discovery of a prehistoric stone ax on the site. The ax, thought to be part of religious rituals, has been the crown jewel of the archaeological finds at the site. After meticulous examinations and analysis, it has been dated to the Chalcolithic age, which proved that the city is much older than once thought.

Fatih Gülşen, head of the excavation team and assistant professor at the Archeology Department of Çukurova University, explained the analysis of the ax to Anadolu Agency (AA). "We know that stone axes were used throughout the Neolithic period up until the Middle ages, but the obsidian material surrounding the stone ax and the fact that it was discovered alongside much older historical items like flintstones suggest that the ancient city of Anazarbus was founded much earlier, maybe around 5000 B.C.," he said.

"The importance of this discovery lies with its implications for the city and the region," Gülşen added. "This might be the most important find of the year because it means that Anazarbus is 7,000 years old, which makes it one of the earliest historical settlements in the entire Cilician region."

Gülşen expressed his joy at the discovery and the validation for the efforts of his team. He said that in the beginning, in 2013, they had only a small team of people excavating near the triumphal arch but today there were almost 100 people from the scientific community working on the site.

Archeological work will progress further in 2021 on the triumphal arch and the colonnade street, as well as excavations at the bathhouse, amphitheater and the church. "After excavations are completed on the colonnade street, restoration and conservation work will begin on the first 250-meter-long (820-foot-long) section of the street," Gülşen noted.