Archaeologists in Turkey have identified massive structures below a Roman-era castle

Archaeologists in Turkey have identified large structures underneath a Roman-era Zerzevan Castle which they believe could potentially change modern understanding of this area’s history.

The backdrop: Zerzevan Castle is a former Roman Empire military garrison site located in southeast Turkey, known for its historical significance.
* Also present at this site is the Mithras Temple from the Mithras religion believed to have originated in ancient Persia.
* The castle and the temple, along with massive structures yet to be excavated, have been identified thanks to ground-penetrating radar scans and are revealing multiple layers of artifacts dating back to pre-Roman history.

Current findings: Archaeologist Aytac Coskun and his team have already unearthed several objects including a well-preserved Roman-era baptismal bucket and an Assyrian-era stamp, an official seal carved into a rock that could date back nearly 3,000 years.
* According to Coskun, the total digging area inside the castle walls is 57,000 square meters and he estimates that around 1,500 people lived here in peaceful times, while around 10,000 people might have sought shelter here during wartime.

Future prospects: The unexplored residential complexes inside the castle walls and the remains beyond the castle walls have the potential to provide further advancements in the archaeological history of this region.
* Only about 10% of the area within the castle walls has been explored so far, promising more discoveries in the future.
* Coskun believes that the excavation work at this site could continue for another 30 years.

View original article on NPR

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