Archaeological excavations at Gökhöyük, located 8 kilometers from the Seydişehir district of Konya, have uncovered a giant jar roughly 5,000 years old. Dating to the Early Bronze Age, the jar was found upside down at the center of the mound.
Excavation director Assoc. Prof. Ramazan Gündüz said the find came as a surprise. "Normally the mouth of a jar should face up, indicating it was in use. But the fact that this jar was carefully placed upside down shows the site was deliberately abandoned," he explained.
Standing about 120 centimeters tall with a mouth diameter of 1 meter, the jar is estimated to have a capacity of 800 to 1,000 kilograms. Gündüz stressed it was not an everyday container, noting the decorations on it attest to its special nature.
Gündüz described how the mouth of the jar features a human silhouette formed by a raised eyebrow, two eyes and a nose. "Just below the eye there is a tree of life with goats climbing it on both sides. In ancient Anatolian societies, the tree of life and goats symbolize fertility and the continuity of life. Here the elements representing both the continuation of life and abundance appear to be protected by a creator above," he said.
Noting the five handles around the jar suggest it may have been moved from one place to another, Gündüz said the vessel was more likely used in certain ceremonies.
Excavations at Gökhöyük began with surveys conducted by James Mellaart in the 1950s, followed by rescue digs between 2002 and 2005. Restarted in 2020, the work continues with support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Heritage for the Future Project, along with contributions from Konya Metropolitan Municipality and Seydişehir Municipality.
Seydişehir Mayor Hasan Ustaoğlu also stated that Gökhöyük is important for the region's history and expressed readiness to provide every kind of support to the excavation team.
