"The achievements of the joint excavation with Korea are unprecedented in the history of Queltepe excavations," said Professor Pikri Kulakoglu of Ankara University during a press conference held on October 27 at the Koreana Hotel in Seoul.
This success is attributed to the use of South Korea's subsurface exploration technology, which helped uncover large-scale architectural remains from the Hellenistic period (late 4th century BC to 1st century BC) that had previously gone unverified. He noted, "Thanks to Korea, systematic excavations were possible in a short time."
The Queltepe site, located in central Turkey's Kayseri province, was a hub for trade connecting ancient Mesopotamia and Anatolia. Over 23,000 clay tablets unearthed from the site document the trade and daily life of merchants from that era, and these records are listed as UNESCO World Documentary Heritage. While historical texts suggested the existence of a large city with temples and palaces during the Hellenistic period, archaeological evidence had been lacking.
However, the joint excavation between South Korea and Turkey, which began last year, has marked a new turning point. The National Cultural Heritage Research Institute of the Cultural Heritage Administration investigated the eastern area of the Warsama Palace in the central part of the Queltepe upper city. They detected unusual signals in the southeastern section through subsurface exploration, leading to excavations that confirmed cultural layers and architectural remains from the Hellenistic period.
The most notable discovery is a building site with a mosaic floor, estimated to have originally measured over 2.5 meters. Researchers believe there may be at least three interconnected buildings in this area. Additionally, stone structures extending over 10 meters were found, indicating the possibility of larger buildings than typical residences. Turkish authorities plan to pursue World Heritage status related to these findings.
Professor Kulakoglu speculated, "When viewing the mosaic, it is presumed to be a place for worship or rituals rather than a residence for the wealthy or nobility." He added, "With the confirmation of the complex buildings, it is highly likely that a significant city existed here," and expressed hope that more intricate mosaics would be discovered in the future.
The key to this excavation's success lies in the scientific investigation techniques employed by South Korea. By identifying unusual points underground through subsurface exploration, they were able to define the excavation area and uncover major remains in a short period. The excavation process also included high-resolution 3D digital surveying and precise measurement of artifacts, such as animal-shaped pottery.
Professor Kulakoglu credited the rapid progress to the comprehensive support from South Korean government agencies and thorough preliminary research, stating, "The investigation, initially aimed at understanding the overall scale of the Warsama Palace, led to the discovery of Hellenistic architectural structures." He emphasized, "There has been no systematic excavation confirming the scale of Hellenistic cities in central Anatolia until now."
In addition to South Korea, researchers from Italy, the United States, Japan, and Australia are also participating in the investigations and joint studies at Queltepe. This project signifies an expansion of South Korea's overseas excavation efforts, previously focused on Korean historical sites, to encompass research on ancient civilizations worldwide.
The two countries plan to continue their excavation and joint research, with an exhibition related to the Queltepe site scheduled for next year at the National Palace Museum. Bulent Goynukdash, Deputy Director of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, remarked, "Though we are far apart, we consider each other brother nations," and expressed intentions to enhance historical and cultural cooperation in various fields, including exhibitions.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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