Karahantepe

Karahantepe: a vast land with mysteries to be revealed

Discovered in 1997, Karahantepe is a 46-kilometre drive to the city centre of Şanlıurfa. First excavations on site started in 2019. Spreading on an area of 140,000 sqm, the site has more than 250 T-shaped megaliths that are easily seen on the site. These stelae, proofs of many structures carved into the bedrock, are decorated with human and animal depictions –along with various animal depictions, it is also possible to see a lot of human depictions.  

Karahantepe promises important information to solve the enigma of an unexplored era in history.

Human Statue: An Impressive Example of Prehistoric Art

In the recent excavations at Karahantepe, the largest known human statue of the period was also unearthed. The 2.45-metre-tall statue, which is a candidate to be one of the most impressive examples of prehistoric art with a realistic facial expression, was securely fixed to the ground on a bench. The male figure statue in a seated position evokes a deceased person with emphasised rib, spine, and shoulder bones; on the other hand, the string position of the figure indicates a live person. In the same area, there is a vulture sculpture placed on the front of the bench where stone plates left on it were also discovered.