Şapinuva Ancient City: 3,400-year-old structure under investigation

Archaeologists are investigating a 3,400-year-old monumental structure discovered at the Şapinuva Ancient City in the Ortaköy district of Çorum, Turkey. The building, which features L-shaped rooms, was identified through geophysical studies and carbon testing, which date its construction to approximately 1380 BCE.

Şapinuva was a significant Hittite settlement that served as a capital at one time. Excavations, which have been ongoing since 1990 under the direction of Hittite University Professor Önder İpek, have previously uncovered approximately 4,000 tablets providing insight into the administrative, cultural, and daily lives of the Hittite people.

A multidisciplinary team, including philologists, geologists, and specialists in restoration and archaeobotany, is working to determine the specific function of the newly discovered building.