With the presidential decision, excavations in Pulur Mound, which are situated in the Ömertepe neighbourhood of Erzurum's Aziziye district, which commenced four years ago, continue unabated. Important historical discoveries are discovered during the excavations conducted by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rabia Akarsu, a faculty member of the Department of Archaeology at Atatürk University Faculty of Letters, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.



The excavations, which involve the meticulous work of scientists from various universities, as well as undergraduate and graduate students from Atatürk University, are conducted to uncover architectural remnants dating back approximately 7,000 years, including stone-based structures, fixed hearths, grain silos, ovens, and ceramic workshops. While tracing the vestiges of history, the 15-member excavation team also makes significant contributions to scientific studies. The data collected from these excavations is used by graduate students to support their thesis studies, thereby expanding the boundaries of the scientific community.



Scientific publications are the means by which excavations are disclosed to the public.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rabia Akarsu, the head of the excavation, the excavations at Pulur Mound have made a significant contribution to the thesis studies of graduate students. The five master's theses that have been defended thus far have specifically examined the Early Iron Age ceramics of this region. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Akarsu emphasised that scientific publications had reported on graphite-slipped ceramics and animal-shaped sacred hearth heads from the Karaz culture. "We discovered a ceramic sherd with a human face, the sole example in the region, during our excavations." Numerous cultural treasures remain concealed within Pulur Mound. We persist in uncovering these traces by employing a sensitive approach as a team.



«Pulur Mound is intended to serve as a heritage site.»
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Akarsu, the Erzurum Museum Directorate has received approximately 300 inventory and study artefacts from the excavations. He also mentioned that efforts are currently underway to convert this historical site into an archaeological site for tourism in the future. Akarsu stated that the excavation house and archaeopark are also being constructed, and that Pulur Mound is a location that embodies the earliest history of Erzurum. Local and international tourists will be attracted to it by its inclusion in the tourism route.



Rector Hacımüftüoğlu: "Pulur Mound provides a framework for scientific research."

The excavation works at Pulur Mound were a source of pride for the university, according to Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hacımüftüoğlu, Rector of Atatürk University. He noted that the findings at Pulur Mound illuminate the discovery of one of the oldest settlements in Anatolia and Erzurum. Our university's graduate students contribute to the scientific literature by conducting thesis research in this discipline and transferring the historical accumulation to future generations. Our scientific research will be more conspicuous in the international arena as a result of uncovering such a profound history. We, as a university, are completely in favour of the excavations and aspire for this region to become a significant cultural and tourism hub in the future.



Hacımüftüoğlu also expressed his gratitude for the excavation team's disciplined and dedicated efforts. He also stated that Pulur Mound's contributions to the scientific community will continue to grow and that they will continue to offer all forms of assistance in the preservation of this cultural heritage of Erzurum.
10.10.2024 - Corporate Communication Directorate