05.07.2025 12:20
An exciting archaeological discovery has been made during the ongoing excavations at the historic Urfa Castle, located on Dambak Hill, south of the symbol of Şanlıurfa, Balıklıgöl. A rock tomb, believed to date back to the Late Antiquity, has been uncovered. While the inscription in the rock tomb remains undeciphered, the tomb continues to hold its mystery.
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The historical Urfa Castle, located on Dambak Hill in the south of the Balıklıgöl complex, which is a symbol of Şanlıurfa, has revealed a rock tomb believed to date back to the Late Antiquity period during ongoing excavations.
The exact founding date of Urfa Castle is unknown, but it is estimated that the city walls were built during the Abbasid period in the 9th century AD. The excavation works at the castle have been ongoing since 2020 under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Gülriz Kozbe, with the permission and support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
EXCAVATIONS CONTINUE IN FOUR AREAS
The excavation head and Batman University faculty member Prof. Dr. Kozbe stated to AA correspondent that the excavations, which started in May this year, will continue until the end of the year. Kozbe noted that they have begun to reach architectural structures and period information related to the castle, expressing that they are working in four different areas.
Kozbe mentioned that they have uncovered an administrative structure from the Mamluk period and provided the following information:
"We have identified a two-story administrative structure that definitely belongs to the Mamluk period. In front of the structure, we found spaces reflecting Urfa houses, which were built in a later period, specifically during the last phases of the Ottoman Empire. Additionally, in the sector we named 'the western tower', it was previously thought that there was only a single tower. With our excavations, we found one more tower in both the north and south. This area dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries, that is, the Eastern Roman period."
FIRST ROCK TOMB FOUND IN THE INNER CASTLE, INSCRIPTION CANNOT BE DECIPHERED
Kozbe stated that the discovery of a rock tomb for the first time in the inner castle is a significant finding and noted:
"This year we reached a different finding. A rock tomb is very common in Urfa; for example, there are dozens of examples in areas like Kızılkoyun Necropolis, Kale Eteği Necropolis, and Güney Eteği Necropolis. We are encountering such a tomb for the first time in the inner castle, that is, in the center of the castle. The tomb has a short entrance corridor. In front of the entrance, there is a circular cover stone. We have not been able to open the stone yet, so we could not enter the interior of the tomb. Work will begin soon. There is an inscription thought to be in Syriac on the upper part of the dromos. Its content has not yet been deciphered, but once it is, it may reveal to whom the tomb belongs."
Kozbe expressed that they do not yet have information about the contents of the tomb, stating that a tomb structure with arched benches can be seen from the outside.
THE ROCK TOMB MAY BELONG TO THE OSROENE KINGDOM
Kozbe suggested that the tomb may date back to the Late Antiquity period and concluded his remarks as follows:
"In this region, there was the Osroene Kingdom, known among the people as the Abgar Kingdom. There is a possibility that this tomb belongs to an individual from that royal family. However, we can only clarify this information after entering the tomb. Rock tombs here are generally seen between the 4th and 6th centuries. However, if the tomb belongs to the Abgar Kingdom, it may need to be dated to the 3rd century. Currently, we can say that the tomb belongs to the period between the 3rd and 8th centuries, that is, the Late Antiquity period. The findings that will come out from inside, if there are mosaics or information provided by the inscription, will make it possible to determine the exact date."
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