Ancient Near East

The motifs used in the Urartian civilization can now be seen in jewelry painstakingly produced in Van, the former center of the civilization Long-forgotten motifs and figures from the Urartian civilization, which was centered on the eastern province of Van more than 2,000 years ago, are now being used in silver jewelry using a number of ancient techniques.

The crocus flower is the flower of joy. It is the first flower to emerge in spring, bringing cheerfulness as a sign of spring. I've long been suggesting that it must be the flower for Women's Day, but of course that is not possible commercially. My reason for associating crocus with women is all about Hittites.

Fifteen ancient tree species that grew 4,500 years ago in Alacahöyük, one of the most important centers of the Hittite civilization will be planted in order to create a "Hittite Forest" in the central Anatolian province of Çorum.  

The revelations from the ancient site of Kalehöyük in Central Anatolia have provided traces from at least seven different civilizations, but even more are believed to lie below the surface, says Japanese Professor Sachihiro OmuraAnatolia has long been a crossroads of civilization, but Kalehöyük in the very center of Anatolia might just have reason to claim that it is at the center of it all.

An Australian archaeological team on Cyprus has uncovered a theater dating from 300 B.C., the oldest structure of its kind yet unearthed on the Mediterranean island, the antiquities department said Nov. 6.

After years of fighting climate change - and usually losing - Turkey's farmers are turning to modern technology for a deceptively simple solution. Under a government project that aims to promote flexible, sustainable farming, specially developed monitoring and information satellite systems now provide farmers with the data they need to continuously adapt to unpredictable weather.

Famous American actor Morgan Freeman has been spotted in the Central Anatolian province of Konya while shooting part of a documentary titled "The Story of God." 

The documentary, which features religious experiences and rituals from around the world, is being filmed for the National Geographic channel. 

The Kültepe Tablets, the earliest written documentation of life in Anatolia, have been included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. 

Kayseri's Kültepe mound was the trade hub of the Middle East. New excavations hope to provide more information on this ancient hubNew excavation work started on the Kültepe Kani?/Karum mound, located in the central Anatolian province of Kayseri, will shed light on the early stages of trade.

The Urartian-era Çavu?tepe Castle in the eastern province of Van's Gürp?nar district has had its worst year in terms of visitors compared to the last 53 years. 

The castle, which was visited by nearly 30,000 tourists annually until last year, only received 1,500 visitors this year.