Nine-Thousand-Year-Old Mining Workshop Discovered in Çayönü
Excavations at the Çayönü Mound in Diyarbakır have revealed important remains dating to the Neolithic period, shedding light on thousands of years of mining history.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that a mining workshop dating to approximately 6900–6800 BC, covering an area of about 5 square meters, was discovered during the 2026 excavations at the Çayönü Mound in the Ergani district of Diyarbakır.
Historic Discovery at Çayönü Mound
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy shared via social media that a new find shedding light on the earliest production technologies of human history has been brought to light. In this context, a mining workshop covering approximately 5 square meters, dated between 6900 and 6800 BC, was reached.
Materials Found in the Workshop
Raw and semi-processed malachites, processed malachite samples, copper beads and various copper objects, along with stone-paved workspaces, were identified in this special area. It is known that the history of copper and malachite use in Çayönü dates back to 9100 BC.
Specialized Production Activities
This newly discovered structure clearly proves that the mining tradition in the region continued uninterrupted for nearly 2,000 years and that specialized production activities were carried out in specific workspaces.
Impact of Excavation Work on Culture
Conducted under the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and headed by Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Savaş Sarıaltun, the works were carried out in the western part of the settlement. These detailed examinations have provided unique data regarding the cultural continuity of the region.