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Traces of a 5,000-year-old earthquake have been uncovered beneath Çayönü, one of the oldest agricultural settlements in southeastern Turkey
Beneath the rolling plains of southeastern Turkey, archaeologists have uncovered traces of a devastating earthquake that struck some 5,000 years ago, toppling a rectangular mudbrick structure at Çayönü, one of the earliest agricultural communities in human history. The discovery offers rare evidence of prehistoric seismic activity in the heart of ancient Upper Mesopotamia — and…
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1,700-Year-Old Roman-Era Church Unearthed in Diyarbakır Reveals Byzantine Presence Beyond the Euphrates
Archaeologists in Turkey’s southeastern Diyarbakır province have uncovered a 1,700-year-old church whose remains shed light on the spread of Christianity and Byzantine influence east of the Euphrates River. The church, located in Kulp district’s İnkaya neighborhood, has been dated to the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius II (A.D. 337–361) after a coin bearing his image…
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9,500-Year-Old “Red-Floored Public Building” Unearthed at Çayönü Tepesi in Turkey
Archaeologists have uncovered a 9,500-year-old public building with a striking red-painted floor at Çayönü Tepesi, one of the world’s most significant Neolithic settlements, located in Ergani, Diyarbakır, southeastern Turkey. The discovery offers a rare glimpse into the social life of early farming communities at the dawn of settled life. Excavations at Çayönü, first launched in…
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Çayönü, Türkiye: The 10,000-Year-Old Village That Sparked Civilization
Imagine a world before writing, before cities, even before farming. Humanity is still roaming, dependent on hunting and gathering. And then—somewhere in southeastern Türkiye, a small settlement begins to form. A quiet revolution is taking place, one that will shape the future of our species. Welcome to Çayönü, one of the world’s earliest known villages.…