In the ongoing 2024 excavation season at the ancient city of Maydos in Eceabat district, Çanakkale, northwestern Türkiye, an extraordinary discovery has been made: an approximately 4,000-year-old cylinder seal.
This artifact, significant in the context of the trade network that spanned from Mesopotamia to the heart of Anatolia, has been meticulously uncovered during the excavation process.
The excavation work, which began in July, is being conducted under the leadership of professor Göksel Sazcı from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMÜ). Sazcı and his team, consisting of 10 excavators and six workers, are diligently continuing their efforts at the site and the excavation is expected to conclude in September.
During a recent visit to the site, Sazcı provided an update on the excavation progress and emphasized the importance of the finds, explaining: “Our excavation work for this year began in the first week of July, and we plan to continue until mid-September actively. The work is being carried out with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the main sponsorship of Içdaş.”
The focus of the 2024 excavations is twofold; the first area of investigation is centered on Maydos's defense system, particularly examining layers from the early periods of the Middle Bronze Age, dating back approximately 4,000 years. The team is working to uncover the settlement’s entrance and the city walls.
The second area of exploration involves newly opened sections corresponding to the end of the Early Bronze Age and the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age, including architectural remains and artifacts from the Byzantine and Hellenistic periods.
One of the most notable discoveries this year is the cylinder seal, which is made from fruit and dates back 3,900 to 4,000 years. Sazcı explained: “This seal is adorned with zigzag patterns and bordered with triangles; it likely served as a pendant and symbolized ownership or property.” He further detailed: “Cylinder seals are not originally from Anatolia; they first emerged about 5,000 years ago in Uruk, Southern Mesopotamia; this practice spread to Anatolia through intense trade networks.”
Dr. Sazcı highlighted the uniqueness of this find in the region. “While Troy has both stamp and cylinder seal versions from the end of the Early Bronze Age, finding only cylinder seals in this area is rare. A similar seal was recently discovered at Kütahya Tavşanlı Höyük,” he noted.
The excavation also contributes to our understanding of ancient trade networks. “Finds at Kültepe near Kayseri reveal that the trade network originating in Mesopotamia extended deeply into Anatolia. The discovery at Maydos suggests that one branch of this trade network reached Western Anatolia, while another extended through the European side,” Sazcı concluded.
