The 14th season of archaeological excavations started at eastern Elazığ province’s Harput Castle, which was inhabited since 3000 B.C. and surrounded by walls by the Urartian Kingdom.

Archaeological excavations and restoration works are continuing gradually in Harput Castle, which was home to many civilizations in the historical Harput district, registered on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Within the scope of the works carried out so far, the archaeological excavation of the 7,000-square-meter (75,350-square-foot) area was completed, and 130,000 historical objects were unearthed. Besides, the lectern in Harput Inner Castle and the dungeon where Artuqid ruler Belek Ghazi imprisoned the Crusader king were opened to visitors. Efforts are continuing to introduce other historical sites to tourism.

Speaking at the program organized for the opening of the excavation season, professor Ismail Aytaç, who leads the Harput Castle excavation, said they sustain the archaeological digs with a team of 45 people.

Aytaç added that all stakeholder institutions in the city should act together so that Harput could gain the value it deserves with its historical and cultural assets and become one of the most important tourism destinations in the country.