New findings uncovered shedding light on Izmir's 8,500-year history

New finds shedding light on İzmir's 8,500-year past have been unearthed during ongoing excavations at Yeşilova and Yassıtepe Mounds in Bornova. This year's work at Yassıtepe in particular has uncovered 5,000-year-old special vessels bearing necklace reliefs. Excavation Director Assoc. Prof. Dr Zafer Derin emphasised that these finds demonstrate the importance of women in the social life of the period and mark the beginning of urbanisation in İzmir. The unearthed artefacts were presented at the Traditional Excavation Season Closing Breakfast hosted by Bornova Municipality at the Yeşilova Mound Visitor Centre.

The excavation season has been completed at Yeşilova and Yassıtepe Mounds — one of the most important elements of the Bornova Heritage Project, prepared to reveal Bornova's cultural heritage and extending İzmir's known history to 8,500 years ago. In the work carried out with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Bornova Municipality and Ege University, 5,000-year-old special vessels bearing necklace reliefs were found. Archaeologists determined that these artefacts are related to female figurines and rituals.

"Women are of great importance at Yassıtepe"

Excavation Director Assoc. Prof. Dr Zafer Derin of Ege University presented the notable finds of the 2025 season at the Excavation Closing Breakfast held at the Yeşilova Mound Visitor Centre. Derin said: "This is in fact a farewell for 2025, but also a closing that will create new beginnings for 2026. Our aim is to bring the city new knowledge in terms of tourism and science. We are excavating both İzmir's first village settlement and its first urban settlement."

Noting that this year's excavations had focused in particular on work at Yassıtepe under the Legacy for the Future Project, Derin said: "In the Early Bronze Age settlement, which is thought to have been destroyed by an earthquake around 2800 BCE, we found hundreds of pieces of pottery. The greater part of these consist of special vessels dedicated to women. Vessels bearing necklace reliefs evocative of women shed light on the belief systems and social structure of the period."

İzmir's first urban life began at Yassıtepe

Emphasising that the finds unearthed at Yassıtepe prove that İzmir's urbanisation process dates back 5,000 years, Derin said: "These vessels represent the period in which the city's commercial and cultural life began. Some artefacts are completely intact, whilst others have been carefully restored. Most were made for the purpose of containing liquids. This provides important clues about the way of life during that period."

Archaeologists provide information to visitors

Derin noted that the Yeşilova Mound Visitor Centre welcomed more than 20,000 visitors during the year: "This is the only centre in Turkey where visitors are received and given explanations personally by archaeologists. It is a demanding but exemplary model."

"The cultural responsibility of local government is immense"

Bornova Deputy Mayor Duygu Bölük drew attention to the importance of the support given by Bornova Municipality to the excavations: "In our country there can sometimes be shortcomings in caring for our historic heritage. However, as Bornova Municipality, being aware of this value and maintaining a consciousness of conservation is very important to us."

KAYED Chairman Halil İbrahim Aktaş said: "These mounds are a great treasure right under our noses. At the point we have reached today, Bornova — together with a figure of the stature of Homer — is on the way to becoming a jewel not only of the Aegean but of the world."

Mounds that shed light on the future in the footsteps of the past

Following the speeches, participants toured the area where the newly discovered artefacts were displayed. Visitors witnessed İzmir of thousands of years ago through terracotta libation vessels and bowls decorated with necklace motifs. The excavations, carried out with the support of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Bornova Municipality, Ege University and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will continue in 2026.