Nine-Thousand-Year-Old Mining Workshop Discovered at Çayönü Tepesi
Discovered during excavations in Ergani, Diyarbakır, the workshop and findings dating back to 6900–6800 BC shed light on the development of the mining tradition.
During archaeological excavations at Çayönü Tepesi in the Ergani district of Diyarbakır, a mining workshop measuring approximately 5 square meters, dated to 6900–6800 BC, along with numerous copper and malachite finds, was discovered.
Important Discovery at Çayönü Tepesi
Remains that will shed light on the history of mining have been reached in excavation works carried out at Çayönü Tepesi in the Ergani district of Diyarbakır, which is among the earliest settlements in human history.
Five-Square-Meter Workshop
According to a statement by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, a mining workshop measuring approximately 5 square meters, dated to 6900–6800 BC, was uncovered during the excavations.
Characteristics of the Production Area
It was determined that the production area identified in the western part of the settlement has at least 6 postholes around it, features a stone-paved workspace in the center, and was covered with a canopy.
Specialized Mining Tradition
Pointing out that the use of copper and malachite in the region dates back to 9100 BC, officials emphasized that the new finds prove this mining tradition was maintained in a specialized manner for two thousand years.
Forty-Two Artifacts
In detailed examinations carried out in and around the workshop, a total of 42 artifacts were reached, including raw and semi-processed malachite pieces, copper beads, and various processed copper objects.
Proto-Hassuna Pottery
Within the scope of the ongoing works, high-quality pottery examples belonging to the Proto-Hassuna culture, dated to 6800–6600 BC, were also brought to light.
Analysis Process Continues
It was reported that Carbon-14 tests and various archaeometric analyses are meticulously ongoing in order to clarify the archaeological data and precise dating processes.