Ongoing excavations at the ancient city of Kastabala in Turkey's Osmaniye province unveiled remarkable an open-air rock sanctuary dating back 2,700 years. The discovery shed new light on the region's historical and cultural heritage, suggesting that Kastabala was a sacred hub in ancient times.
Led by Associate Professor Dr. Faris Demir from Osmaniye Korkut Ata University's Department of Archaeology, the excavation team is focusing on the remains of a temple discovered last year.
According to Akşam, the open-air rock cult area includes a statue base and two cisterns. These relics are considered older than previously discovered artifacts, revealing a deeper layer of cultural and religious history.
"In inscriptions uncovered in the ancient city dating back to the 5th century BCE, the local Luwian people mentioned their goddess 'Kubaba Pirwaşua,'" said Demir, according to Anadolu. "The root of the word 'Pirwaşua,' 'Pirwa,' means rocky area and rock temple. The remains we have uncovered here coincide with the inscriptions we have found."
These findings suggest that the area was used for religious rituals in the past. "The cisterns in the sacred area and adjacent to the Archaic Period temple are thought to have been used for religious ceremonies," stated Demir, according to Sozcu.
The discoveries at Kastabala indicate that the city's cultural heritage is much older than previously thought.
The provincial director of culture and tourism, Burhan Torun, emphasized the importance of the site. "This city is a complete ancient city with its theater area, castle, church ruins, and bath," he said, according to Anadolu. "We are in an area that can be dated even older with the temple we discovered last year. Therefore, we are expecting local and foreign visitors to our city."
Sections of the cobblestone road that were buried underground are being uncovered again through salvage excavation works.
"Columns in the ancient city that were destroyed in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes on February 6, 2023, are being restored to their former appearance after appropriate restoration," Torun stated, according to NTV. "We are carrying out the works in the ancient city with a team of 45 people."
Kastabala ancient city is recognized as one of the oldest sacred cities in the region.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.