In Şanlıurfa, southeastern Türkiye, excavation work at Sefertepe has uncovered two decorative items dating back approximately 10,000 years, one shaped like a leopard and the other featuring a vulture and a human figure.

The project is being conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as part of the Neolithic Age Research Stone Hills Project, led by associate professor Emre Güldoğan from the Department of Prehistoric Archaeology at Istanbul University.

Güldoğan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the excavation efforts began in 2021 and have yielded a variety of finds over the years.

He noted that in past excavations, various types of beads made from different raw materials, including those shaped like snakes, were discovered.

However, this year marks a significant breakthrough as they have found decorative items in the shapes of a leopard, a human and a vulture. Güldoğan remarked: "This year, we encountered two important finds that we believe are significant beads. They are made of jade, which suggests they come from outside our region. One bead features a leopard, while the other includes both a vulture and a human figure intricately carved together.

"The representation of the vulture and human closely resembles figures we've seen at Karahantepe, depicted in slightly smaller sizes than those of humans carrying animals on their backs. The leopard, too, is a clear representation of an animal frequently depicted on standing stones in settlements such as Sayburç, Karahantepe and Göbeklitepe. Thus, these two findings hold importance in illustrating the connections between Sefertepe and other stone hill settlements."

Dating back about 10,000 years

Güldoğan explained that the excavation at Sefertepe has thus far revealed artifacts from the "Pre-Pottery Neolithic Period B" and emphasized that the two decorative items discovered are about 10,000 years old.

He highlighted that even in ancient times, decorative items were used for purposes similar to those today, stating: "People in ancient times did not differ significantly from modern individuals in their use of beads. They utilized these beads as accessories such as bracelets, necklaces and other ornaments."

"However, we must also consider that those made from unique raw materials may have served various specific activities. More definitive conclusions will be possible once detailed studies have been conducted on these artifacts," he said.

Güldoğan pointed out that the raw materials used for the decorative items do not originate from the region itself: "The two examples we found are likely represented by finds from farther south, possibly from the Israel-Palestine region, as noted in various publications. There is certainly a need for further raw material investigations in this area."

The Şanlıurfa Neolithic Research Project (Taş Tepeler), initiated in 2021, focuses on the early stages of the Neolithic period in the Şanlıurfa district, covering the transition from nomadic life to settled village life based on food production. Its primary objective is to conduct archaeological surveys to inventory settlements, campsites and hunting grounds dating from the 10th to seventh centuries B.C.