The “Taş Tepeler” project, encompassing 12 Neolithic excavation sites in the Şanlıurfa region of southeastern Türkiye, has celebrated its fifth year by announcing 30 new archaeological discoveries. These finds offer unprecedented insights into life 12,000 years ago and are beginning to redefine what is known about the earliest periods of human history.
Among the most striking discoveries are a human statue unearthed in Sayburç,
a human figure placed inside a wall as an offering at Göbeklitepe,
two human faces at Sefertepe crafted using high and low relief techniques,
a dual-faced bead made of black serpentine stone.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, stated that these finds demonstrate the presence of densely populated and organised communities in Anatolia 12,000 years ago, describing Taş Tepeler as “the Neolithic capital of the world".
The ongoing excavations at Karahantepe, Göbeklitepe, and ten other sites are considered significant enough to require a reassessment of the Neolithic period. The project represents a major international collaboration, bringing together 219 researchers from 36 academic institutions, including 15 from Türkiye.
In addition, within the scope of cultural heritage conservation, the “Lion Structure” and “Structure C” at Göbeklitepe have been restored, while additional preservation efforts continue at Karahantepe and Sayburç.