GAZIANTEP, Turkiye 

A new Turkish institute in the country’s southeast is preparing to shed light on the rich history of ancient Anatolia, where countless civilizations sprouted and perished throughout history.

The new Anatolian Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Institute in the city of Gaziantep was built with the coordination of the European Union, Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry, and the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, and holds great importance for regional archeological studies.

The institute boasts an archeological laboratory, conference halls, library, archive, study and educational areas where experts and academics can contribute to scientific studies and research of ancient sites in Turkiye.

With its proximity to many ancient cities in the region including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Gobeklitepe, Karahantepe, Karkamis, and Zeugma, the institute is expected to significantly contribute to the scientific literature.

Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Sahin said Anatolia is like an open-air museum and so it was essential to establish such an institute, adding that Germany and Japan founded similar institutes years ago.

“Our ministries and lawmakers provided assistance to the legal infrastructure,” she said, adding the EU also provided substantial support to make the institute a reality.

"Carbon analysis needs to be done to set the date of the ancient cities. We were unable to do such analyses. However, now it is doable in Gaziantep," she said.

"The institute will forge new pathways in the context of cultural heritage, and contribute to diversity in the region’s cultural, religious, culinary, nature, and caravan tourism," she said.

* Writing by Ali Murat Alhas​​​​​​​