Korea Showcases Excavation Capabilities in Türkiye, Confirming Large-Scale Hellenistic Ruins

Traces of Hellenistic era architecture in the ancient Turkish city of Kültepe, which had been shrouded in mystery, have been revealed through a joint excavation involving a South Korean research team.
Kültepe is an ancient city site that flourished from around 3000 BC through the Roman era.
As a trade hub connecting ancient Asia and Europe and the capital of the Bronze Age Kanesh Kingdom, the more than 23,000 clay tablets excavated here are listed as UNESCO Memory of the World.
Korea's investigative capabilities are also garnering attention on-site.
Since last year, the research team has been investigating the southeast of the Warshama Palace based on Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and has identified mosaic remains.
Furthermore, a large number of artifacts were precisely measured and recorded using high-definition digital 3D scanning technology.
Analyses of animal organisms and lime components were also conducted on-site.
Professor Kulakolu commented, "Achieving such results through a systematic system just 1 to 2 years after starting the joint investigation is unprecedented in the history of Kültepe excavations. I want to introduce Korea's advanced technologies, such as scanning and digitally recording artifacts to reduce errors, to the excavation sites in Türkiye."