11,300-year-old temple unearthed in southeastern Turkey

An ancient temple with four stelae estimated to be over 11,000 years old has been unearthed in Mardin, southeastern Turkey.

Credit: Anadolu Agency

Ergul Kodas, an archaeologist at Artuklu University and advisor to the excavation area, told Anadolu Agency that the temple, built with small stones and hardened clay floors, belongs to the same period as Gobeklitepe, the famed “oldest temple in the world.”

Credit: Anadolu Agency

Credit: Anadolu Agency

“According to analysis, the temple has four steles. We think it's about 11,300 years old,” said Kodas. “Excavations are underway, but we have clearly revealed the steles. One of the four steles we uncovered was broken, but the other three were still preserved to this day as they were,” he added.