Kırşehir Ahi Evran University sheds light on the history of humanity with its scientific archaeological studies. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kimiyoshi Matsumura, Faculty Member of the KAEU Archeology Department, announced that they discovered a palace dating back to the 20th century BC in Büklükale and found the oldest glass bottle in the world.
Büklükale Consists of Two Archaeological Sites, "Lower City" and "Upper City"
Büklükale, a settlement connected to the Karakeçili district of Kırıkkale Province, is located on the left side of the highway that goes from Ankara to Kaman, without crossing Kızılırmak. Also, historically, the region draws attention because it is located approximately 60 km southeast of Ankara and 50 km west of the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archeology in Kaman. Thousands of years of history are coming to light via the excavations started in Büklükale, which consists of two archaeological areas, the "lower city" and the "upper city".
The World's Oldest Glass Bottle was Found in Büklükale
Archaeological excavations show that the city played an active role during the Assyrian trading colonies period. It is estimated that the city, located in the narrowest part of the Kızılırmak river, was inhabited from the Early Bronze Age to the Ottoman period and served as a natural bridge over the east-west crossing point in every period. KAEU Faculty Member Matsumura stated that various materials were found during the excavations in the Büklükale region, and he added: "One of the most important artifacts, the glass bottle, which we can now call the oldest in the world, was found here. Here, only a few pieces of that type of glass bottle were found in Bogaz village, the capital of the Hittite, but the one found here goes back 200 years from it."
The Excavated Area has Always been Used as Crossing Point from Past to Today
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kimiyoshi Matsumura provided information about the region and said: "The size of the city is approximately 500 x 650 m. There is a rocky hill with a size of 300 x 200 m and a height of 30 m in the east of the city. There is a two-level terrace on the southern slope of the hill and a stepped terrace on the eastern slope, and there are these terraces and settlements on the hill. The city is located at the narrowest point of Kızılırmak and is certainly an important crossing point in every period. Çeşnigir Bridge, built during the Seljuk period, is close to the site, as well as today's highway bridge. On its north side, on the west bank of the river, there are the remains of a Roman bridge. In fact, it is possible to see artificial holes on the rock to the north of it, which may be a pole pit from earlier periods, which appeared when the water level fell. The ruins demonstrated that the point has been always used as a crossing point from the past to the present and that Büklükale was built in a strategically significant place.
As a result of the excavations carried out to date, a settlement date from the Old Bronze Age of 3000 BC to the Ottoman period has been identified in Büklükale and the chronology of the settlement has been determined as follows:
1st Floor: Ottoman Period,
2nd Floor: Hellenistic and Iron Age (1st millennium BC),
3rd Floor: Late and Middle Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC),
4th Floor: Old Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC).
The Great Cyclopian-Style Building, Considered to be the "Palace", is one of the Most Important Discoveries
During the excavations carried out started in 2009, an ancient city in Anatolia was discovered in the 2nd millennium BC. One of the most important findings is a large Cyclopian-style building, considered to be a palace, built in the 2000s BC. C14 Carbon dating has revealed that this building in Büklükale is one of the oldest in Anatolia. That type of building appears for the first time in Anatolia during this period. One of the various artifacts found in the building is the glass bottle, one of the oldest in the world. While it is known that the glass production technique was developed by the Hurrians living in Northern Syria, this work stands as an important basis for showing us that Central Anatolia had intense relations with the Hurrians at such an early date.
About 3000 People are Believed to have Built a Palace with a Ceremony
Two basement rooms were also identified in the palace building. Approximately three thousand drinking vessels were found in each room and when the filling soil of the rooms was examined, it is deduced that various plant species were brought from the Black Sea region and Southeastern Anatolia, which do not grow in the region. Moreover, a canal was found at the bottom of these rooms, which is thought to have been built as a way to the Underworld. It was noticed that that channel was elated to the Construction Ritual, which was also mentioned in the Hittite texts and was performed in the construction of palaces or temples. Hatti traditions were discovered there for the first time, as the Hattian terms used by the Hattis, the indigenous people of Anatolia, were used in the ritual text. Thus, it is thought that a palace was built with a ceremony attended by about 3000 people in Büklükale, which has been a kingdom since the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC.
Miniature Panther Head Which is Believed to be from Afghanistan was Found
In addition, a panther head with decorations made of blue lapis lazuli stone, which was found in the area and known to have been brought from Afghanistan, is among the most important findings showing the trade relations between the Central Anatolia Region and the Middle East in that period. Based on the examinations carried out, the findings of the Kaman-Kalehöyük excavations, and the ceramic pieces collected from the surface in Büklükale, it is understood that Büklükale was an important city center at the end of the 2nd millennium BC, that is, during the Hittite Imperial Age. For that reason, excavations have been carried out in Büklükale since 2009.
