Kale Höyük excavations reveal 5,000-year-old settlement in Şarkışla

Archaeological excavation works have commenced at the Kale Höyük site in the Şarkışla district of Sivas. The project, coordinated by the General Directorate of Museums and funded by the Şarkışla Municipality, follows the discovery of historical artifacts during landscaping works in 2009.

Initial findings suggest the site is a multi-layered settlement with a history spanning approximately 5,000 years. Identified layers include traces from the Ottoman, Seljuk, Medieval, Roman, Byzantine, and Hittite periods.

Şarkışla Mayor Kasım Gültekin stated that after the area was declared a protected site, work was halted between 2009 and 2014. Following a new application in 2024, permissions were granted to begin comprehensive excavations. The local government aims to eventually transform the site into a social area and urban terrace for tourism once scientific evaluations are complete.