4,500-year-old jar unearthed in 9,000-year-old tumulus in southern Turkey

By Sezgin Pancar

MERSIN, Turkey (AA) - An ancient structure with a jar, numerous pots, and food fossils, dating back to some 4,500 years ago, were unearthed at the Yumuktepe Hoyuk (tumulus) in Turkey's southern coastal city of Mersin, the head of the research team has told Anadolu Agency.

Isabella Caneva, an archeology professor at Italy's University of Lecce, said important findings about changes in life, economy, and society in Yumuktepe are obtained during excavations every season.

Yumuktepe stands out as one of the oldest settlements in Anatolia with its history dating back to 7,000 BC.

The tumulus, located four kilometers (2.4 miles) west of the city center, gave important clues about the lifestyles of civilizations, Caneva said, adding that they reached a large building made of adobe on the field.

"There were many potteries inside the building. These pieces belonged to one type of product. These bowls are all the same, mass-produced. There were around 700 bowls in this building. This is a big place for a standard family or restaurant. We think that this is a place where public or ceremonial meals are held or food is distributed to the public," she said.

The team of 25 -- led by Caneva -- found a 4,500-year-old jar belonging to the Middle Bronze Age, she noted.

Yumuktepe Hoyuk has been home to many civilizations where skulls from the Hittite period and seals from the Neolithic period were previously found.