Arslantepe, cradle of civilizations in Anatolia

Reflecting the rich culture of Anatolia, the Arslantepe Mound in the eastern province of Malatya is shedding light on history thanks to its adobe palace with colorful figures on its walls, a 5,500-year-old temple and many artifacts such as ancient swords and spears. 

Located seven kilometers from the center of Malatya, Arslantepe is one of the historical Anatolian structures that sheltered human beings for centuries thanks to its high agricultural potential, wetlands and geography that helped prevent river floods. 

The ancient mound is home to the traces of many civilizations from the Hittites to the Romans and the Byzantines, as well as finds between the Late Chalcolithic Era in 5000 B.C. and the Iron Age. 

Excavation works on the mound have unearthed lion statues and an overturned king sculpture. The adobe palace, which has infrastructure to drain rainwater, reveals the structure of the first city state in the area, while the colorful figures and engraved reliefs on the wall show the traces of an early state system at Arslantepe. There are also a number of artifacts similar to those in Mesopotamia unearthed during excavations on the mound. 

The finds at the mound include metal artifacts such as silver, gold, copper and lead, as well as 12 spears and nine swords, providing some of the earliest examples of weapons. 

Ivory plaque unearthed in this year's excavations 

Archaeological excavations in the mound were first started in the 1930s by a French team. Currently, works are being carried out by an Italian team headed by Rome La Sapienza University Professor Marcella Frangipane. 

This year, works continued on two different parts of the mound and unearthed juniper wood pieces, small temples...