Ancient rituals revealed: 6,000-year-old complex found in Trkiye

by Daily Sabah with AA

Istanbul Jul 15, 2025 - 1:45 pm GMT+3 Edited By Ayşe Sena Aykın



An aerial view of Tadım Castle and Mound, Elazığ, eastern Türkiye, July 14, 2025. (AA Photo)

Archaeological excavations at Tadım Castle and Mound in Elazığ, eastern Türkiye, have uncovered a 6,000-year-old temple complex.

These excavations, led by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in coordination with the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and the Elazığ Museum Directorate, began last year at the castle and mound located in the center of Tadım village. The discovered structures, artifacts and findings shed light on the 6,000-year history of the area, offering significant insights into the lifestyles, socio-economic and socio-cultural structures of the civilizations that once inhabited the region.

This year, excavations were conducted in the 80-81 grid areas of the 35-meter-high castle and mound, which cover an area of 210 meters (690 feet) by 160 meters. Here, a temple dating back to the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Ages was uncovered.

Among the most significant finds in the temple complex was a "blood channel," which contained both human and animal bones, along with an altar stone marked with knife cuts. These discoveries are interpreted as evidence that both humans and animals were sacrificed to the gods in accordance with the religious practices of that period.



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