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Külhöyük archaeological excavations

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2026-10-02 07:25 UTC → 2026-10-02 17:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Archaeological excavations at the 5,000-year-old Külhöyük site in Ankara’s Gölbaşı district have uncovered significant botanical and paleontological remains from the Hattian and Hittite periods. Initial findings included 4,000-year-old seeds of the endemic Sevgi Çiçeği (Centaurea) discovered inside a Hittite vessel. This discovery provides the oldest known evidence of the species, which is currently exclusive to the Gölbaşı region. Researchers suggest these findings may offer insights into Hittite medicine and pharmacology, as cuneiform texts indicate the use of various plants for therapeutic purposes. Subsequent reports from the site also noted the discovery of a 66-million-year-old marine creature fossil, contributing new data to the natural history of the Ankara region. Excavation leader Assoc. Prof. Derya Yılmaz Tekin and archaeobotanist Prof. Dr. Emel Oybak Dönmez from Hacettepe University are involved in the ongoing analysis. A scientific study is being prepared to further investigate the potential medicinal uses of the recovered plant remains.

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