Amasya is talking about this: A discovery that will deeply shake the history and archaeology of religion

A roughly 2,600-year-old altar, determined to belong to the Median Empire period, has been discovered during excavations at Oluz Höyük in Amasya. Prof. Dr. Şevket Dönmez stated, The emergence of altars and temples belonging to the fire cult in both the Median and Persian periods seems set to deeply shake the history and archaeology of religion in Western Asia.

İHA 21.11.2023

At the Oluz Höyük excavations in Amasya, a roughly 2,600-year-old altar determined to belong to the Median Empire period has been discovered.

Recalling that they had previously found a Kubaba altar belonging to the Late Phrygian period in the same area, Excavation Head Prof. Dr. Şevket Dönmez said, "The emergence of altars and temples belonging to the fire cult in both the Median and Persian periods seems set to deeply shake the history and archaeology of religion in Western Asia."

'THE EMERGENCE OF TEMPLES...'

At Oluz Höyük, where 2,500-year-old fire temple findings from the Persian period were unearthed, a fire temple was also encountered at the altar belonging to the Iranian-origin Median Empire, which captured Anatolia up to the Kızılırmak River in 590 B.C. and ruled for 40 years.

Explaining that they advanced their work in this area after encountering ceramics last year that were evaluated as belonging to the Medes, Istanbul University Archaeology Department faculty member Prof. Dr. Dönmez said, "They added a hearth related to the fire cult to the altar. They also added a tower-like structure to the east side of the altar. The emergence of altars and temples belonging to the fire cult in both the Median and Persian periods seems set to deeply shake the history and archaeology of religion in Western Asia," he said.

'WE SEE THAT IT IS A SACRED CITY'

Pointing out that Oluz Höyük has been used as a sacred center since the Hittite period, dating back 3,500 years, Prof. Dr. Dönmez said, "Five seasons ago, we recovered a bull figurine belonging to the Hittites.

The presence of this bull figurine pointed us toward a temple. It seems likely that the Hittite Storm God temple is currently beneath the Phrygian and Persian layers. In 17 years of work, we see that Oluz Höyük was a sacred city during the Hittite, Phrygian, Median, and Persian periods," he stated.