A structure believed to be around 8,000-years-old was unearthed island of Gokceada (Imbros / Imroz) off the western coast of Turkey. Archaeological Excavations in the Ugurlu-Zeytinlik mound in the northwestern province of Canakkale’s Gokceada district had earlier unearthed a 7,000-year-old structure complex.

“During this years’ excavation work, we have found a structure that we believe dates back to around 6,000 BC,” Burcin Erdogu from Trakya University, archaeologist and head of the excavation team said.

Excavations in the Ugurlu-Zeytinlik mound in the northwestern province of Canakkale’s Gokceada (Imbros) district had earlier unearthed a 7,000-year-old structure complex.

Erdogu said the new excavation will shed light on the history of Gokceada island, which dates back to 8,800 years.

“This structure is an important discovery both for the Aegean islands and western Anatolia,” she said. She added that the T-shaped monument is an obelisk–like, four-sided tapering structure, ending in pyramidion.

T-shaped monument stone is made of two pieces, interconnected by seven-metre-long walls. It is reminiscent of the standing stones in Gobeklitepe, an archaeological site located in Turkey's southeastern Sanliurfa province. Gobeklitepe that comprises huge stone slabs that had been purposefully arranged is thought to have been used for ritual or religious purposes. Therefore, it is widely considered the world’s first temple.

Erdogu said it was the general thought that public structures, such as temples, were disappearing through the near East. “The monumental structures seem like part of an area where people gathered and held some activities and rituals,” she added.

Source: Anadolu Agency