Archaeologists are working to determine the purpose of a monumental structure dating back about 3,400 years that was uncovered during excavations at the ancient city of Sapinuwa in Türkiye’s Çorum province.
One of the most important settlements of its time in religious, military and economic terms, Sapinuwa has yielded about 4,000 tablets that provide insight into the administrative structure, daily life and cultural practices of the state that existed 3,500 years ago.
Archaeological excavations at Sapinuwa, one of the Hittites’ most important cities after Hattusha, began in 1990 and continue under the supervision of Hitit University.
The excavations, supported by Çorum Municipality, aim to shed light on previously unknown aspects of Hittite civilization.
Work is continuing to determine the function of a building discovered in 2024 under excavations led by Önder Ipek, a faculty member in Hitit University’s Department of Archaeology. The structure contains rooms arranged in an “L” shape.
In addition to archaeologists, philologists specializing in the Hittite language, restoration and conservation experts, geologists, archaeobotanists and zooarchaeologists are working to solve the mystery of the building, whose main outlines have been revealed over three years of excavation.
Ipek told Anadolu Agency (AA) that archaeological research and carbon dating showed the building was constructed around the 1380s B.C.
Pointing to Sapinuwa's importance as a Hittite city, Ipek said excavations that began in 1990 have continued uninterrupted for 36 years.
“As a result of these studies, we know that Hittite King Tudhaliya II came to this city with his wife. We also know that Sapinuwa served as the Hittite capital for a period. Monumental buildings were constructed here when the king arrived,” he said.
Previous excavations uncovered several monumental structures and researchers are now continuing their work northeast of those buildings, Ipek said.
He said a large structure was detected underground through geophysical surveys in 2024. Excavations began with a 5-by-5-meter (16.40-foot-by-16.40-foot) trench, revealing about 20% of the structure in the first year.
The building was largely uncovered during excavations carried out in 2025 and this year, Ipek said.
“Over three years of work, we followed the exterior walls and have almost identified the entire building. In some areas, we have started entering the interior spaces and rooms. This year, we are working inside the rooms,” he said.
“Some of the archaeological materials we find here will provide clues about its purpose. So far, we cannot say whether this was a public building, a temple or an administrative structure. We expect to determine that through our work in the interior rooms this year.”
Ipek said archaeologists discovered long, “L”-shaped rooms in the building last year and this year found their symmetrical counterparts.
“In 2025, near the floor of one of these rooms, we found a stone pavement and the skeleton of an animal that appeared to be a headless lamb or young goat. Studies are continuing to determine which animal it belonged to,” he said.
“This year, we also found a cattle skull in the other ‘L’-shaped room. It had also been placed on a stone pavement.”
Ipek said written sources indicate that animals were sacrificed when such buildings underwent renovations.
“Based on these written sources, we believe the animal remains and skull we found were part of sacrificial rituals carried out during different phases of the building’s use. We have identified several phases in this building.”
