Religious center of Hittites comes to light

The 11th archaeological excavation season has recently begun in the ancient city of Nerik, recognized as the religious center of the Hittites, in the northern province of Samsun’s Vezirküprü district.

This season the works are being carried out by 30 people, headed by German archaeologist Prof. Rainer Maria Czichon, the head of the Uşak University Archaeological Department.

Czichon said excavations were first initiated in the ancient city 2005, after geophysical exploration.

He said they had deepened the works since 2007 and unearthed various finds, adding, “Since this is a prehistoric era settlement, we find lots of stone and loom artifacts because Anatolia has always been a production place.”

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/religious-center-of-hittites-comes-to-light-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=102780&NewsCatID=375

Fossils show Anatolian city was once like Africa

Fossils unearthed from the Çorakyerler fossil bed in the Central Anatolian province of Çankırı have revealed that the region was very similar to the African continent some 8 million years ago.

Excavation works have been ongoing in the province’s Fatih neighborhood since 1997 and the remains of nearly 3,500 8-million-year-old fossils have been found so far. The fossil bed turned into an excavation site in 2001.

Ankara University Faculty of Language, Literature and Geography Anthropology Department member Prof. Ayla Sevim Erol is the head of the excavations, where 10 students from various universities are working.

Stating that they had recently started this year’s excavations, Erol added they had found a number of different species. “We have so far found more than 20 species including elephant, rhino, horse, pig, giraffe, ship, deer, otter and saber-toothed tiger.”


http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/fossils-show-anatolian-city-was-once-like-africa.aspx?pageID=238&nID=102478&NewsCatID=375

Les Lions organisent "Plouf 2016 à la piscine Le Pecq le 11 Novembre 2016 !"

Nous voulons que vous soyez parmi les premiers à savoir que nous organiserons le Plouf 2016 à nouveau à la piscine Le Pecq le 11 Novembre prochain.

Cliquez ici pour obtenir plus d’information.

Cette année encore, nous allons soutenir la cause l'autisme à travers les deux les associations suivantes :

• Agir et Vivre l'Autisme de Chambourcy
• Bulle d'Air, le centre de loisirs pour enfants handicapés Bulle d'Air de Croissy-sur-Seine

Merci de réserver cette date du 11 novembre dans votre agenda et de prévenir vos amis également.

http://www.centrebulledair.com/blog

https://lionsheraldic78.org/events/plouf-2016/

13 new sites added to UNESCO list

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee’s 40th session held in Istanbul has concluded with some 15 properties being evaluated and 13 of them registered to the World Heritage List, including the Turkish archeological site of Ani located in the eastern province of Kars, near the Armenian border. 

“As of now a total of 15 properties were evaluated and 13 of these were registered in the World Heritage List. I want to express that we have been extremely happy [to be] part of this [and] that our Seven-Doored City of Ani archeological site has been registered to the World Heritage List. With this opportunity, I want to deliver my thanks sincerely to UNESCO, committee members, the World Heritage Center and ICOMOS [the International Council on Monuments and Sites],” said Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Nabi Avcı, as he delivered a speech at the closing ceremony of the session.  

UNESCO’s 40th session was held in Istanbul with the attendance of some 108 member countries, consulting organs, guests of the host country, media members and NGO representatives.

July/18/2016

8,000-year-old cave paintings found in Turkey’s Balıkesir (HDN)

A number of cave paintings dating back some 8,000 years have been found in Baltalıın and İnkaya caves in the Marmara province of Balıkesir during a field study conducted by Associate Prof. Dr. Derya Yalçıklı from Çanakkale (18th March) University, the Arkeofili website has reported.
The paintings, which date back to the Late Neolithic era, were located in two caves five kilometers apart and were said to be 8,000 years old, marking one of the most important archaeological discoveries made in Anatolia in recent years. 

When the two caves were analyzed separately, it was revealed they were used for different functions, as the paintings in one of them depicted hunting figures, while the other depicted figures of beliefs.
The floor and northern wall of the İnkaya Cave was greatly damaged by past treasure hunters using dynamite, however, despite this damage, the cave continues to reflect important information about the Neolithic era.
A deer hunt is depicted on the eastern wall of the Baltalıın cave.

The paintings also included a scene never depicted before, in which a trap is set by hunters and a group of animals is driven towards the trap. There are also four people dancing in the main part of the painting on the left side of the entrance.
A different depiction of a human wearing fur on the right side of two women and two men is depicted, while on the left side of this painting there is a depiction of a fetus growing in the womb.
A human wearing fur appears at the beginning of the main stage. Across from this figure, a human is depicted with a snake behind. It was believed that the snake represents the death in this figure, which was interpreted as “the moment of death” by the experts. 

The depiction of a human wearing a fur and extending his hand forward is believed to be a shaman who is helping human spirits to go the land of the dead at the moment of death.
A portrayal of a dead human without a head offered to the vultures is also depicted.