Excavations at the Kültepe Kaniş-Karum Mound in the central Anatolian province of Kayseri are in full swing. The director leading the excavations anticipates that the process of uncovering all the ancient artifacts buried beneath the ground will require an estimated 5,000 years.
Kültepe Kaniş-Karum ruins, where the first written tablets of Anatolia dating back 6,000 years were discovered, are located 24 kilometers (15 miles) from the city center and include the remnants of administrative buildings, religious buildings, houses, shops and workshops.
Since 1948, excavation, restoration and inventory works have been ongoing at the ruins, making Kültepe one of the country’s most important tourism centers.
Approximately 23,500 written tablets have been found in the excavations carried out in the region so far. It is stated that the excavations in Kültepe, which entered its 75th year in 2023, must continue for at least 5,000 years.
Providing information about the ongoing work, professor Fikri Kulakoğlu, the head of the excavations, stated that Kültepe is spread over an area approximately 3 kilometers wide, yet the excavations carried out there only involve 1% or 2% of the area.
“If we must excavate Kültepe completely, which is unnecessary, we must leave it to the next generations. We need an excavation period that will last for at least 5,000 years. Of course, hundreds and thousands of scientists will continue to work here after us.”
Stating that it is possible to learn about the history of not only Anatolia but also Mesopotamia, Syria and the Near East from the artifacts of Kültepe, Kulakoğlu described the place as a “place that enlightens the whole ancient world.”
“Especially in the excavations carried out, around 23,500 tablets have been found. We could see hundreds of thousands of tablets if the excavations were finalized. If all the tablets are found, humanity can learn ancient history from Kültepe,” Kulakoğlu explained.
