Kurul Kalesi excavations reveal 2,300-year-old artifacts in Ordu

Archaeological excavations at the 2,300-year-old Kurul Kalesi in Ordu, Turkey, have uncovered significant artifacts providing insight into ancient religious and cultural life. The site, located in the Altınordu district, is recognized as the first scientific archaeological excavation area in the Eastern Black Sea region.

Led by Professor Süleyman Yücel Şenyurt of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University and supported by the Ordu Metropolitan Municipality, the team has unearthed several key items. These include a statue of the goddess Cybele, figures of a child Dionysus and Pan, and composite vessels shaped like animals associated with the Dionysus cult. These findings suggest the site served not only as a military fortification but also as a settlement used for religious rituals and daily living during the Hellenistic period.

Ordu Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mehmet Hilmi Güler noted that approximately 40 percent of the excavation is complete. He emphasized that these discoveries will provide significant cultural value to the region. The artifacts are expected to help the scientific community better understand the coexistence of different deities in ancient Anatolia.