The 2024 archaeological excavation work has begun at Çobankale

In the Altınova district of Yalova, the 2024 archaeological excavations have begun at Çobankale, where the first 'hashtag' symbol in history was found among the artifacts. The season opening program was held at the Çobankale Excavation House in Ayazma village, Altınova. The new season's opening program of the excavation, conducted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, was attended by Yalova Governor Hülya Kaya, Altınova Mayor Yasemin Fazlaca, and local protocol. During the program, Associate Professor Dr. Selçuk Seçkin from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and Head of the Çobankale Excavation, gave a presentation about the work.

Governor Hülya Kaya stated that the historical site, where artifacts from the 9th to the 14th centuries were found, is within the borders of Yalova. 'Here, a very significant work is being carried out that will shed light on history, both for our country and the world, and especially for Yalova. We see that we are actually nearing the end of these studies. Yalova is home to a very special site that witnessed significant battles during both the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Therefore, the data we have obtained to shed light on history shows that Yalova has a history dating back to prehistory and even before Christ. Efforts are being made to increase the recognition and awareness of these studies both internationally and in Turkey as soon as possible,' she said.

Drawing attention to Trabzon's growing tourism potential, Karanfil stated that the 38% increase in the number of domestic and foreign tourists last year was a significant achievement.

Karanfil said, 'We aim to contribute to this increase with tourists we will bring from Libya. Additionally, this initiative should be considered as part of the steps taken to enhance Turkey's tourism potential.'

Excavation Director Associate Professor Dr. Selçuk Seçkin highlighted that Çobankale holds significant importance for both Turkish and world history and said:

'Çobankale is strategically located on the route between Istanbul and Iznik. We started with cleaning work in 2017, followed by drilling, and then continued with excavation work from 2020 onwards. During this process, all the walls were uncovered, and restoration work was carried out within the castle. From 2024, we will continue our work within the castle. Its location, particularly on the Istanbul-Iznik route, makes it a crucial strategic point for controlling that route. We started with cleaning work in 2017, followed by drilling, and then continued with excavation work from 2020. During this process, all the walls were uncovered, and we restored several structures within the castle. In 2023, the wall system was fully revealed and thus became suitable for restoration. We also discovered the entrance gate to the castle. We found it by opening a drill at a location previously suggested by researchers, which is a significant finding for us. Many small artifacts were uncovered. These findings have been published in leading indexed journals in Turkey, and a world-renowned journal also featured them. Therefore, this has yielded very important results for us as scientists.'

Altınova Mayor Yasemin Fazlaca stated that the municipality will continue to support the efforts. Emphasizing the importance of opening the castle to tourism, Fazlaca said, 'The tourism here had only a natural value before. Its historical aspects were not very visible. Therefore, once the castle is restored, I believe it will greatly benefit tourism by combining history and nature.'