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Yeşilova Mound

Overview

Quite a large site. The building, facilities, and museum are all superb, much more developed compared to Yassitepe Mound. Admission is paid with used batteries, which is a really nice, well-thought-out detail.

The ancient remains were first discovered in 2003, with excavations beginning around 2005.

What to See

The most distinctive difference from other ancient sites is the absence of Mother Goddess figures and burials. They presumably had a cemetery somewhere far from the settlement, or perhaps they disposed of the dead by some other means.

Among the artifacts, there are even house models, indicating advanced engineering. The site's history predates the settlements in Istanbul.

Sea bream bones and grape seeds were found at the site, apparently our dietary habits haven't changed much over the millennia.

The adjacent land belongs to a private company. It's too expensive to expropriate, which is honestly something that would only happen in Turkey. There are remains of the ancient city's continuation underneath, but they can't dig because they can't afford the land.

Museum

The museum is quite good. Outside the museum proper, they've built a mini simulation area with models showing what life in the ancient city would have looked like, reconstructed village houses, dining areas, and more.

A thoroughly enjoyable place to visit. Worth keeping an eye on new developments from time to time.

© 2026 Özgür Alp