Category Archives: WORLD

ASIA, IRAQ, WORLD

Researchers discovered clay tablets with ancient cuneiform writing, a game board, and large structural remains in Kurd Qaburstan

Researchers discovered clay tablets with ancient cuneiform writing, a game board, and large structural remains in Kurd Qaburstan

Researchers discovered clay tablets with ancient cuneiform writing, a game board, and large structural remains in Kurd Qaburstan

Tiffany Earley-Spadoni, associate professor of history at the University of Central Florida (UCF), and a researchers team have made important discoveries at Kurd Qaburstan, an urban-sized Bronze Age site in northern Mesopotamia, southwest of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Researchers have made important discoveries, the objects date to about 1800 BCE, and include clay tablets with ancient cuneiform  writing, a game board, and large structural remains, which could provide a wealth of information about this Middle Bronze Age city and shed light on Mesopotamia’s hidden history.

The clay tablets are the first of their kind found in the region and are still being interpreted. Studying the clay tablets may help historians understand the ancient city’s relationship to neighboring cities in the Middle Bronze Age – a period of northern Iraq’s history that is poorly understood.

For example, by studying people’s names, word choice and writing styles, scholars may better understand literacy in the region and the city’s cultural identity, Earley-Spadoni says in her fieldwork summary.

“We hope to find even more historical records that will help us tell the story of [the city] from the perspective of its own people rather than relying only on accounts written by their enemies,” Earley-Spadoni says. “While we know a great deal about the development of writing in southern Iraq, far less is known about literacy in northern Mesopotamian cities, especially near Erbil where Kurd Qaburstan is located.”

Today, Mesopotamia encompasses eastern Syria, southeastern Türkiye, and most of Iraq. Its name comes from the Greek for “between rivers” referring to the area between the Tigris River and the Euphrates.It is often regarded as the birthplace of urban civilization. These cities, preserved as towering tells, mounds formed by centuries of accumulated cultural debris, have captivated scholars for generations.

One of three clay cuneiform tablets discovered at the Middle Bronze Age site of Kurd Qaburstan in northeast Iraq. It was found in a debris-filled corridor in the lower town palace. Early interpretations of this tablet suggests dramatic events and possibly ancient warfare.

“We know quite a bit about Mesopotamian cities in the south, and that’s considered the traditional heartland of cities,” Earley-Spadoni says. “When people think about where cities first arose, they imagine cities in southern Iraq, like Uruk. We seek to fill in this gap in the scholarship by investigating a large urban site, one of the few that’s ever been investigated in northern Iraq.”

Earley-Spadoni and researchers have been working in two primary areas: the northwest residential neighborhoods and a newly discovered administrative complex identified as a lower town palace, which was theorized to exist based on findings made in 2022.

Researchers used technologies such as magnetometry, which allows researchers to peer through the ground to see architectural plans, to help excavate the site.

The research is valuable its own right and helps shed light on regional history and worldwide heritage, she says.

“The focus of the research is the organization of ancient cities, and it’s specifically the organization of Kurd Qaburstan,” Earley-Spadoni says. “You may have heard of King Hammurabi, who erected the famous law code. So, this is about that same time almost 4,000 years ago.

We decided that this would be an interesting place to investigate what it was like to be an everyday person at a city during the Middle Bronze Age, which has been an understudied topic. People like to excavate palaces and temples, and very few residential areas have been excavated.”

Standing mudbrick architecture from a 10-meter by 10-meter excavation in the Kurd Qaburstan lower-town palace, view to north.

Excavations in the palace revealed monumental architecture, human remains and evidence of destruction, suggesting a significant historical event. The complex, identified through geophysical surveys, is being excavated to establish its characteristics and better understand its function.

Digging in the northwest neighbourhoods revealed exterior courtyards, clay drainpipes, cups, plates, bowls and storage jars. Fine details on the pottery, and animal remains which include both game and domesticated animals suggest that there was a greater degree of wealth among ordinary residents than previously assumed for ancient Mesopotamian cities.

It is possible that the 4,000-year-old city is the hidden city of Qabra, referenced in Old Babylonian monuments.

“Kurd Qaburstan is believed to be ancient Qabra, an important regional center mentioned in the records of other city-states,” Earley-Spadoni says. “The presence of  writing, monumental architecture, and other administrative artifacts in the lower town palace further supports this identification since the site must have been an important city of its time.”

The city’s historical importance could be even greater if it is identified as Qabra, a major regional center referenced in Old Babylonian monuments like the famed Stele of Dadusha, according to Earley-Spadoni.

“The first of the three tablets was discovered in a trash-filled deposit along with building rubble and human remains,” she says. “Its context suggests dramatic events, possibly evidence of ancient warfare. We hope our work in 2025 will tell us more about this story.”

The research and excavation efforts are funded through the U.S. National Science Foundation and in partnership with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The work occurred from May to July 2024, with previous work conducted from 2013 to 2023 by a team from Johns Hopkins University that included Earley-Spadoni.

EUROPE, POLAND, WORLD

Hidden Royal Trove of rulers of Poland and Lithuania discovered in the underground vaults of Vilnius Cathedral in Lithuania

Hidden Royal Trove of rulers of Poland and Lithuania discovered in the underground vaults of Vilnius Cathedral in Lithuania

Hidden Royal Trove of rulers of Poland and Lithuania discovered in the underground vaults of Vilnius Cathedral in Lithuania

A unique find was made in the dungeons of the Vilnius Cathedral: The royal funerals of the Polish and Lithuanian monarchs were discovered in the underground vaults of Vilnius Cathedral in Lithuania.

Found last month, the treasure includes crowns, scepters, orbs, and other regalia once intended for the tombs of 15th and 16th-century rulers.

A cache of Polish and Lithuanian royal treasures was buried in 1939, at the start of World War II. A scepter, crowns, medallions, rings, and plaques were hurriedly collected and placed in a crypt in the Vilnius Cathedral, where they would be concealed for almost nine decades.

Last December, researchers inspecting the cracks and cavities in the walls of the Lithuanian church’s vaults uncovered the handsome trove, bringing to light princely and historical artifacts that have survived centuries.

Presented to the public during a press conference earlier this week, the artifacts were described as “priceless treasures” by Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of the Vilnius Archdiocese.

“These burial insignia of the monarchs of Lithuania and Poland are magnificent works of goldsmithing and jewelry. They symbolize a long-standing tradition of Lithuanian statehood and Vilnius’s role as a cultural and political center,” Grušas said.

The royal jewelry discovered at the Vilnius Cathedral.

Vidmantas Bezaras, Director of Lithuania’s Department of Cultural Heritage (KPD), called the discovery “one of the greatest in the history of today’s heritage protection,” adding, “What generations of historians and heritage enthusiasts have dreamed of has now come true.

This discovery enriches our understanding of Lithuania’s history, strengthens our sense of statehood, and allows us to present this remarkable history to visitors from around the world.”

The treasures in the stash bear the insignia of rulers including Alexander Jagiellon, King of Poland from 1501–06; and Elizabeth of Habsburg and Barbara Radziwiłł, the first and second wives of Sigismund Augustus, who reigned as king from 1548–72. Both kings were key members of the Jagiellon dynasty, which ushered in Poland’s golden age in the 16th century.

A scepter discovered at the Vilnius Cathedral.

The crowns of the king, Elizabeth, and Barbara were among the hoard, as were a host of coffin plates and votive offerings, including rings, crosses, and bishops’ insignia.

According to the Vilnius Cathedral, the set of regalia was first discovered in its basement in 1931, when a flood revealed the burial chambers of the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.  In September 1939, the jewelry was collected in a newspaper and placed in a niche in the staircase when war threatened the structure. Time forgot its precise location, but its existence was never forgotten.

A crown discovered at the Vilnius Cathedral.

While the regalia required a little more effort, the treasury was rediscovered in 1985. Using non-invasive techniques like georadar, thermal imaging, metal detectors, and the testimony of a witness who was there when the regalia was hidden, the Vilnius Archdiocese hired experts to look for the location, but they were unable to find it.

Unfortunately, funding was not secured for their 2023 plan to map the vaults in detail using a 3D scanner. Ultimately, an endoscopic camera was inserted through the walls’ pre-existing holes and cracks on December 16, 2024.

The long-lost royal funerary regalia was finally captured on camera after multiple unsuccessful attempts. In order to document, catalog, and relocate the items to a safe location, the wall was taken down and the items were taken out.

ASIA, TURKEY, WORLD

Game Bone Stones from a Roman Military Strategy Game Found in Hadrianopolis Ancient City, Türkiye

Game Bone Stones from a Roman Military Strategy Game Found in Hadrianopolis Ancient City, Türkiye

Game Bone Stones from a Roman Military Strategy Game Found in Hadrianopolis Ancient City, Türkiye

During the excavations in Hadrianopolis Ancient City in Eskipazar district of Karabük, 2 bone game stones belonging to the military strategy game, which are thought to belong to the 5th century, were unearthed.

Hadrianopolis in Paphlagonia was a city in southwestern Asia Minor, located approximately 3km west of the modern town of Eskipazar in the Karabuk Province.

The city was named after the Roman emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD. The city of Hadrianopolis is also known as Caesarea and Proseilemmene and is famous for being the birthplace of two saints: Alypios the Stylite, and Stylianos of Paphlagonia.

Ongoing excavation efforts, led by associate professor Ersin Çelikbaş from the Department of Archaeology at Karabük University’s Faculty of Literature, continue at the ancient city, which was used as a settlement during the late Chalcolithic, Roman, and early Byzantine periods.

The ancient city of Hadrianopolis is called “Zeugma of Black Sea” because of its mosaics depicting many animals such as horses, elephants, panthers, deer and griffons.

The last discovery, together with previous findings, also points to the role of Hadrianopolis as a Roman military base in southern Paphlagonia.

The site is thought to have been a Roman garrison, and it is located not far from the eastern edge of the great Roman Empire. In his previous statements, Çelikbaş had said that Rome had built this military base on the easternmost borders of the empire to defend against invasions from the Black Sea region.

Researchers have previously discovered an iron Roman cavalry mask dating to the 3rd century AD in the region.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ersin Çelikbaş stated that they found 2 game stones and said, ‘These bone objects are in the form of lentils and discs. There is a 4-armed symbol on one stone and an 8-armed symbol on the other. These symbols show us that these stones could be game stones.’

Explaining that there were games played with bone stones in the past and that the stones they found belonged to a military strategy game, Çelikbaş continued as follows:

‘The discovery of strategy games in Hadrianopolis further concretises the existence of the military unit here because it is known that the strategy games played with bone stones in antiquity were ‘Ludus Latrunculi’ and ‘Doudecim Scripta’. Both games are based on a strategic basis.

The ancient cities where these games emerged are also frequently encountered in Anatolia. It is also known that these games were strategy games that soldiers loved to play. Finds of this type reinforce the existence of a military unit in Hadrianopolis for many centuries. They clearly support the existence of a Roman headquarters, a Roman unit, and a Roman fortress in Hadrianopolis from the 2nd to the 5th century BC.’

Ludus latrunculi was a two-player strategy  board game played throughout the Roman Empire. There are two rows of pieces facing each other, with sixteen pieces for each of the two players. The objective of the game is to seize every piece that the opposition has.

 Doudecim Scripta was a board game popular during the Roman Empire. This Roman game is a relative, and probably ancestor, of backgammon. It is played on a board of three rows of twelve columns of playing spaces, and its name means “game of twelve lines”.

ASIA, WORLD

Manot Cave yielded evidence for ritualistic gathering 35,000 years ago, the earliest on the Asian continent

Manot Cave yielded evidence for ritualistic gathering 35,000 years ago, the earliest on the Asian continent

Manot Cave yielded evidence for ritualistic gathering 35,000 years ago, the earliest on the Asian continent

Archaeological research at the Manot Cave in what is now the Galilee in northern Israel has uncovered evidence of ritualistic gatherings dating back 35,000 years. This important discovery is shedding new light on the earliest inhabitants of the Asian continent.

Manot Cave was used for thousands of years as a living space for Neanderthals and humans at different times. In 2015, researchers from Case Western Reserve helped identify a 55,000-year-old skull that provided physical evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthal and homo sapiens, with characteristics of each clearly visible in the skull fragment.

Manot Cave may have once been a ritualistic gathering site for early humans some 35,000 years ago, likely making it the earliest ritual site in Southwest Asia.

An important development in anthropological research, this discovery was just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal. Under the direction of three Israeli researchers, the project included international partners, including a team from the School of Dental Medicine (CWRU) at Case Western Reserve University, which has been working at the location for more than ten years.

The study found that the cave residents resided nearer to the entrance. The ritual chamber, however, was located approximately eight stories below the cave’s entrance. A carved rock that resembled a turtle shell was found inside the chamber; it seemed to have been placed there on purpose in a niche. The carving was similar to the oldest cave paintings in France.

Stone tools, butchered animal bones, and other artifacts from regular human occupations between 46,000 and 33,000 years ago have been previously excavated at various locations close to the entrance of Manot Cave. That includes the time spent at the back of the cave performing group rituals.

Activity in the ritual chamber dates to a time when artifacts in the living areas display influences of Europe’s ancient Aurignacian culture.

An engraved rock with a carved symbolic turtle was placed in a niche in the ritual space.

“It may have represented a totem or spiritual figure,” said Omry Barzilai, Head of Material Culture PaleoLab at the University of Haifa and the Israel Antiquities Authority, and team leader, in a press release. “Its special location, far from the daily activities near the cave entrance, suggests that it was an object of worship.”

The cavern has natural acoustics favorable for large gatherings, and evidence of wood ash on nearby stalagmites suggests prehistoric humans carried torches to light the chamber.

Though it is not yet known what rituals took place in this specific chamber, there is evidence that cultures, such as the Mayans, used caves for rituals like human sacrifice.

Manot Cave was discovered in 2008 by workers building condominiums in a mountain resort close to Israel’s border with Lebanon.

Case Western Reserve’s School of Dental Medicine got involved in the excavation in 2012.  Students from Case Western Reserve’s School of Dental Medicine began assisting archeological teams because of their ability to identify bones from rocks.

“Most people would not suspect that a dental school would be involved in an archaeological excavation,” said Mark Hans, professor and chair of orthodontics at the dental school, in a press release. “But one of the things that are preserved very well in ancient skeletons are teeth because they are harder than bone.

There is a whole field of dental anthropology. As an orthodontist, I am interested in human facial growth and development, which, it turns out, is exactly what is needed to identify anthropological specimens.”

Experts from a variety of disciplines have collaborated internationally on the Manot Cave project. One of them, Linda Spurlock, a physical anthropologist from Kent State University, has added a visual element to the findings by sharing her knowledge of reconstructing human faces from skulls.

ASIA, IRAQ, WORLD

Evidence of Early Forms of Pottery Production and 8,000-Year-Old Buildings Belonging to the Elite of the Time Discovered in Iraqi Kurdistan

Evidence of Early Forms of Pottery Production and 8,000-Year-Old Buildings Belonging to the Elite of the Time Discovered in Iraqi Kurdistan

Evidence of Early Forms of Pottery Production and 8,000-Year-Old Buildings Belonging to the Elite of the Time Discovered in Iraqi Kurdistan

Archaeologists from the University of Udine have uncovered two ancient human settlements in the Rovia sub-district of Dohuk province in Iraqi Kurdistan, thought to date back some 8,000 years.

The discovery took place at the site of Kanispan, a Neolithic settlement from the 7th millennium BC.

Late Chalcolithic kiln at the Asingeran site, view from the north.

The province’s Director of Antiques and Heritage, Bekas Brifkani, told Shafaq News Agency that the sites were discovered in Asinkran and Kanisban areas, located in the Nafkor plain near the Rovia district in eastern Duhok.

Important information about the earliest agricultural societies and how they evolved into more complex communities has been uncovered by these excavations, which were conducted as part of the Asingeran Excavation Project in cooperation with the Directorate of Antiquities of Dohuk.

The project, coordinated by Marco Iamoni, is part of the Humanities and Cultural Heritage Department of the University of Udine. ‘The information obtained in Asingeran and the new Kanispan site is exceptional,’ emphasizes Professor Iamoni, lecturer in Archaeology and Art History of Ancient Western Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Some of the oldest methods of grain processing and  pottery making, which date back more than 8,000 years, were found in Asinkran.

Meanwhile, evidence of early agricultural specialization and craft production was discovered at the Kanisban site, a Neolithic settlement from the 7th millennium BCE.

At the nearby Asinkran site, two monumental buildings dating back about 7,000 years were uncovered. “These buildings, the Rectangular Mudbrick Building and the White Building were constructed on a high mound and likely served as residences for the social elite of that era,” he explained.

Large buildings at Asingeran indicate the presence of sophisticated social structures from very early times, while early evidence of  ceramic production and cereal cultivation at Kanispan represents a significant milestone in prehistoric archaeology.

The project’s primary objective is to determine how early egalitarian agricultural societies developed into more complex communities with social stratification and labor specialization. Modern societies are thought to have been influenced by this transformational model.

The rectangular mud brick building is visible in the foreground.

Brifkani described the discovery as an “important step” in reconstructing the history of human development in the region, highlighting the Kurdistan Region’s significance as “one of the main centers of early civilization.”

The results will be examined in specialized labs using DNA, paleobotanical, and ceramic analyses. These studies are being carried out in partnership with the National Museum of Denmark and the universities of Padua and Bologna.

The findings will shed light on the subsistence and social organization systems in the Navkur plain and aid in reconstructing the social structure of the area’s first communities and their agricultural practices.

The Asingeran site shows a continuous occupation from the Ceramic Neolithic to the early 3rd millennium BCE, with a significant period of reoccupation in the 2nd millennium BCE. In addition to the two large buildings mentioned, the area has revealed traces of Ottoman-era dwellings (1500–1800 CE), including small stone houses, hearths, and domestic ovens.

ENGLAND, EUROPE, WORLD

Drone Mapping Reveals Shockingly Huge Size of 3,000-Year-Old Caucasus Settlement

Drone Mapping Reveals Shockingly Huge Size of 3,000-Year-Old Caucasus Settlement

Drone Mapping Reveals Shockingly Huge Size of 3,000-Year-Old Caucasus Settlement

Using drone mapping, an academic from Cranfield University in the UK has revealed that Dmanisis Gora, a 3,000-year-old mountainside fortress in the Caucasus Mountains, is much larger than previously thought.

Among the first of its kind in this region of Eurasia, Dmanisis Gore, which is inside the boundaries of the Republic of Georgia, has long been regarded as a significant Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age settlement.

Dr Nathaniel Erb-Satullo, Senior Lecturer in Archaeological Science at Cranfield Forensic Institute, has been researching the site since 2018 with Dimitri Jachvliani, his co-director from the Georgian National Museum, revealing details that re-shape our understanding of the site and contribute to a global reassessment of ancient settlement growth and urbanism.

Research on the fortress – named Dmanisis Gora – began with test excavations on a fortified promontory between two deep gorges.

A subsequent visit in Autumn, when the knee-high high summer grasses had died back, revealed that the site was much larger than originally thought.

Scattered across a huge area outside the inner fortress were the remains of additional fortification walls and other stone structures. Because of its size, it was impossible to get a sense of the site as a whole from the ground,  prompting the use of advanced drone technology to create aerial imagery.

Structures in the outer settlement with 1km long fortification wall visible in upper left.

“The drone took nearly 11,000 pictures, which were processed using specialized software to produce high-resolution digital elevation models and orthophotos,” Dr. Erb-Satullo explained.

“These datasets allowed us to identify subtle topographic features and create precise maps of fortification walls, graves, field systems, and other structures within the outer settlement.”

The drone survey showed that the fort is expansive, with its outer settlement protected by a fortification wall that stretches a kilometer long. This makes Dmanisis Gora more than 40 times the size initially estimated.

The research team used a DJI Phantom 4 RTK drone which can provide relative positional accuracy of under 2cm as well as extremely high-resolution aerial imagery.

In order to obtain a highly accurate map of human-made features, the team carefully checked each feature in the aerial imagery to confirm its identification.

The researchers merged aerial photographs with declassified Cold War–era spy satellite images to identify ancient structures from recent modifications attributable to the advent of modern farming. That gave researchers much-needed insight into which features were recent, and which were older.

It also enabled researchers to assess what areas of the ancient settlement were damaged by modern agriculture. All of those data sets were merged in Geographic Information System (GIS) software, helping to identify patterns and changes in the landscape.

Hillshade (top left) and orthophoto (top right) of fortress core, with plan of trench 2 excavations.

The massive size and defensive architecture of the site suggest that it was a major settlement in an era of evolving social and political complexity in the region.

The authors note that the data from Dmanisis Gora supports theories that pastoral mobility was still a major element of Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age cultures in the Caucasus region, meaning the people remained on the move much of the time even though they constructed facilities that would suggest they were getting ready to urbanize in a major way.

The site exhibits evidence of low-intensity occupation, which may indicate seasonal use, despite the significant investment in stone architecture. This lends credence to ideas that pastoral mobility was still significant in Late Bronze and Early Iron Age societies.

This work has been funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the Gerald Averay Wainwright Fund and the British Institute at Ankara.

AFRICA, EGYPT, WORLD

Ancient Mastaba Tomb of Royal Physician “Magician of the Goddess Selket” discovered in Sakkara

Ancient Mastaba Tomb of Royal Physician “Magician of the Goddess Selket” discovered in Sakkara

Ancient Mastaba Tomb of Royal Physician “Magician of the Goddess Selket” discovered in Sakkara

In the southern region of the Saqqara archaeological site, a joint French-Swiss archaeological team made an important discovery uncovering the mastaba tomb of the royal physician Teti Neb Fu from the Old Kingdom, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

This tomb, unearthed in the southern region of the archaeological site of Saqqara, known to contain the tombs of high-ranking officials from the Egyptian Old Kingdom, shows that medicine and magic were once equally revered, and expertise in both earned a long-dead physician to the pharaohs a place of honor among the ancient world’s most esteemed.

Dating back over 4,000 years to the reign of King Pepi II, this important find features exquisite carvings and vibrant artwork, including a painted false door and elaborate scenes depicting funeral offerings.

The sarcophagus found inside the tomb was also inscribed with the name of its occupant and his titles, according to the post. Because of the burial location in Saqqara, researchers knew he was important, but Teti Neb Fu’s official titles named him as the chief palace physician.

Teti Neb Fu, who held prestigious titles such as Chief Palace Physician, Chief Dentist, and Director of Medicinal Plants, also had a unique role as a “Magician” of the Goddess Serket, specializing in the treatment of venomous bites.

Credit: Official Facebook page of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Additionally, he was known as the “Great Physician of Teeth” and “Director of Medicinal Plants”, suggesting that he led research and practical applications in the fields of dentistry and the use of therapeutic herbs.

Even though it may have been looted in the past, the mastaba still has many of its ornamental features.

The director of the archaeological mission, Dr. Philippe Collombert, said the walls are decorated with remarkable reliefs and inscriptions, including a complex frieze that displays the owner’s name and titles.

Among the most remarkable elements is the red-painted ceiling, which is intended to resemble granite blocks, a material commonly found in imposing buildings.

The titles and name of the doctor are also written in the middle of the ceiling. An additional noteworthy discovery within the mastaba is a stone sarcophagus, which has hieroglyphic decorations inside that offer more information about Teti Neb Fu and his accomplishments.

Inscriptions on the sarcophagus and art in the tomb showed the person buried there was once a powerful physician to the king. Credit: Official Facebook page of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, emphasized the importance of this discovery, stating that the texts and drawings on the tomb’s walls unveil new insights into the daily life of the Old Kingdom.

This discovery strengthens Saqqara’s position as one of Egypt’s most important historical sites and contributes to its rich archaeological legacy.

Excavations in this area of Saqarra began in 2022, to unearth the graves of state employees for King Pepi who are buried near him and his wives, officials said.

EUROPE, TURKEY, WORLD

Hagia Sophia’s Mysterious Underground Tunnels, Vaults, Tombs to Open for Visitors

Hagia Sophia’s Mysterious Underground Tunnels, Vaults, Tombs to Open for Visitors

Hagia Sophia’s Mysterious Underground Tunnels, Vaults, Tombs to Open for Visitors

The Turkish Ministry of Culture is carrying out a cleaning program aimed at opening to the public the underground spaces of the famous Hagia Sophia in İstanbul, one of the world’s famous architectural wonders.

This project includes the restoration of tunnels, vaults, corridors, and a three-room underground tomb beneath the historic structure.

These subterranean features served a variety of purposes, from ventilation to storage and even burial. They are interconnected, forming a concealed network described by experts as the “lifelines” of Hagia Sophia.

The “Hypogeum,” a three-room underground tomb four meters below the northeast façade of Hagia Sophia, is one of the most fascinating finds. It was built in the fourth century A.D. before Hagia Sophia was built in the sixth century.

The existence of this particular underground structure was known since 1946, but it had been inundated with four tons of mud and sediments. With the large-scale cleaning works of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2020, rubble and mud were cleaned and its grandeur was revealed.

Over time, it underwent various modifications and was linked to other subterranean facilities through ventilation shafts, making it one of the region’s oldest architectural remnants.

Dr. Hasan Fırat Diker, of the Hagia Sophia Science Council, said they’ve studied Hagia Sophia’s underground structures for five years.

The structures surrounding Hagia Sophia are approximately one kilometer long and the cleaning is expected to last one year.

“This study is very important and valuable in the sense that both existing places can be visited, even if only a part of them, and the findings inside are dealt with sensitivity under the supervision of the Hagia Sophia Museum and those that are revealed can shed light on the history of Istanbul,” Diker said.

He adds that the sections under the arcaded courtyard are as old as Hagia Sophia, meaning they are 1,500 years old and the tomb area is believed to be older than the current structure.

Diker noted the importance of addressing both the superstructure and the infrastructure. “It is pleasing that not only the superstructure but also the infrastructure is being addressed,” he noted.