In the Havran district of Balıkesir, in western Türkiye, archaeology is taking on an unusual rhythm, part scientific research, part challenging expedition. At dawn, a team of archaeologists leaves their base camp and sets off along a rugged path cutting through the hills. When the road ends, so does modern comfort: they load water supplies onto a donkey and continue on foot.
The path is narrow, stony, and steep, forcing the team into a single-file march. Their destination is Andık Cave, nestled on the slopes of Kocaçal Hill. By the time they arrive, the donkey has done its duty, and the archaeologists are ready to descend into the cool darkness of a cave that stretches 59 meters deep and opens into several galleries.
Layers of history: from the Neolithic to Byzantium
Excavations led by Prof. Dr. Derya Yalçıklı of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University reveal that this cave was far more than a shelter. It holds evidence of continuous use across millennia. The earliest traces go back to around 6700 BCE, among the earliest known dates for the region. From Neolithic hearths and Chalcolithic living spaces to Bronze Age rituals, Archaic-era presence, and Byzantine practices, the cave preserves a timeline carved in soil and stone. In more recent centuries, it even served as a sheepfold.
On the cave walls, depictions of a mountain peak and a leopard survive beside broken pottery, bone tools, and stone implements—objects that whisper of daily life long vanished.
A dig with decades of potential
According to Prof. Yalçıklı, the cave may keep researchers busy for decades:
“So far, we’ve reached material dating to 6700 BCE. That makes this one of the earliest known settlements in the region. But the deeper layers may hold even older phases. We expect at least 20–25 years of excavation potential here.”
The journey itself
The trek to the cave—donkey carrying water, archaeologists pacing through the rocky landscape, and the sudden hush of the underground—adds another dimension to the work. Andık Cave is not just an archaeological site; it feels like a portal into deep time. Each discovery here reflects not only the history of Anatolia but also the persistence of those who walk, climb, and dig to bring it to light.
