Archaeologists have found two 7,000-year-old animal seals in Arslantepe Mound in Turkey, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reported the Anatolian Agency, quoted by BTA.
The Arslantepe Mound is located in the eastern Turkish province of Malatya and is located 15 km southwest of the Euphrates River. It has sheltered people for thousands of years thanks to its high agricultural potential, wetlands and a structure protected from river flooding.
Excavation team leader Francesca Balosi Restelli told Anadolu Agency that the team compared seal styles in other regions to date them based on their motifs.
„When we look at the style, I think the date of these seals would be older, 5,000 BC,” Restelli said.
In her words, these are the oldest seals found so far in the Arslantepe mound.
„Certainly there are older ones, because under the hill there are layers of 10 meters. "I'm sure we'll find older seals as we go down," she added.
The mound of Arslantepe is 30 meters high, and it was inhabited between 5000 BC. and XI century AD.
More than 2,000 seals, a statue of King Tarhunza, and two lion statues from the Late Hittite period were found at the mound site.
The Mound Temple dates to 3600-3500 BC