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Tarsus-Gözlükule Archaeological Excavations
The prehistoric mound of Gözlükule is located in the Northeastern Mediterranean coastal plain of Çukurova (ancient Cilicia) at the southern end of the principal pass (Cilician Gates) through the Taurus Mountain range. Today the site is part of the modern town of Tarsus in the province of Mersin.
The site was investigated in the 1930s-1940s by an American team led by Hetty Goldman under the auspices of Bryn Mawr College, PA. Excavations revealed that the settlement was founded in the course of the Neolithic Period and continued without major lacunae into the Early Islamic Period.
The results were published starting in the 1950s in three volumes by Princeton University Press and remain one of the cornerstones of Anatolian archaeology.
In 2001, Boğaziçi University initiated a new research project in cooperation with Bryn Mawr College, preparing to resume excavations and investigations on and around the mound. The first season of excavation took place in 2007.
Since 2007, excavation and study seasons have been carried out to evaluate recent finds and data. Excavations in the Early Islamic, Classical, and Late Bronze Age levels continued through the 2017 season.
- 📄 3rd Cilician Chronology Workshop (May 30th-June 1st, 2017)
- 📷 Workshop Photos (2017)
- 🎤 Tarsus-Gözlükule Archaeology & Research Center Lecture Series - I (Emeritus Prof. Selçuk Esenbel)
- 🖼️ Japan on the Silk Road - Conference Poster
Turkish Association of Architects in Private Practice (TürkSMD) Building Award (2019)
"The Gözlükule Excavation Research Center, implemented by Saadet Sayın for Boğaziçi University, was recognized by the Jury as an exemplary project transforming a defunct cotton gin factory into an academic and social space. The project was deemed worthy of the TürkSMD 'Building Award' for its professional attitude, respect for the original structure, and its focus on environmental values and energy conservation."
