Funding Successful. This project reached its goal before 05/11/2015.

The project
Friday July 10th, 2015

Since 2011 our archaeological mission, in collaboration with New York University, is bringing to light in Cappadocia (Turkey) a huge city until a few years ago completely unknown to scholars and the public. Kınık Höyük, populated from about 3000 to 50 BC, was roughly the same size of Troy – Hisarlik. Two operations opened in recent years have focused their attention on the fortifications of the acropolis hidden under a hill in the center of the site.

A geophysical survey conducted in 2010 confirmed the evidence previously collected and allowed us to locate the best-preserved remains: a wall about 5 m thick, preserved for more than 13 m below the ground. Following the first four excavations it was possible to clarify that the walls were built around the middle of the second millennium BC and they stood defending the city until the Persian time (about 350 BC). At first it was thought that a depression along the northern slopes hid the gate, but it was later discovered that the depression was caused by the removal of material which was used, during the Hellenistic period, by the last inhabitants of the city to build their homes on top of the hill.

The search for the gate, therefore, continues. The geomagnetic survey had shown, on the southern slopes of the hill, the presence of a section of the wall, which is much thicker. We now want to start a new excavation in search of the gate of the citadel in this thicker section of the wall.

But why is it so important to find the door? Often in this region the gate to ancient cities were decorated with statues and stone slabs carved with figures of lions, warriors, gods or composite beings (and animals with human traits) placed to defend access to the city. Often next to the reliefs we find inscriptions in Anatolian hieroglyphs – a particular form of writing which was born in the second millennium BC – that narrate the exploits of the local princes and the wealth of their territory. Many Preclassical bastions have been brought to light in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in Turkey and northern Syria. In general, however, they were removed after the discovery and placed in museums in Ankara and Istanbul, and even as far as Pergamon Museum in Berlin, therefore they can no longer be visited in their original location.

The discovery of a new city gate would be of great scientific importance, not only for its artistic and monumental possible value; a similar discovery, as those of the nineteenth and twentieth century, made nowadays would allow us to analyze the structure using modern tools and technology not available 80 or 100 years ago, and to study the relationship between the inner city and the surrounding area, where important rock reliefs and steles dating to the same period of the walls have been found.

Our mission therefore requires collaboration to cover at least part of the expenses necessary for this purpose.

  

LINK

http://www.kinikhoyuk.org/

Goals

Funding required: € 15,000, divided as follows:

8000 €

Workers and guardian of the site payment

2000 €

Technical archaeologist specialized (to follow the process)

2000 €

scientific analysis (C14 in particular)

3000 €

safety, restoration and enhancement of the sections of walls and related structures

Video

Media Gallery

Rewards

Donations starting from 500 euros

mentions in the official publications and on the official website of the excavation (www.kinikhoyuk.org)

Donations starting from 50 euros

personal invitation to official presentations on videoconference of the results

For every donators who wants to be contacted: sending of illustrative materials (e-mail)

Team

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Clelia Mora

Prof.

Clelia Mora

Prof.


Professor of Ancient Near Eastern History, Department of Humanities, University of Pavia

Link al curriculum completo

 

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Lorenzo d’Alfonso

Prof.

Lorenzo d’Alfonso

Prof.
Assistant Professor of Western Asian Archaeology and History, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, New York University
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Pam Crabtree

Prof.

Pam Crabtree

Prof.
Prof. of Anthropology, New York University Link CV
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M. Elena Gorrini

Prof.

M. Elena Gorrini

Prof.
Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology, Department of Humanities, University of Pavia
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M. Elena Balza

PhD

M. Elena Balza

PhD

Assegnista di ricerca – Anatolistica, Univ. di Pavia

Backers

  1. Catherine Humblet
  2. luca maraschini
  3. emilo maraschini
  4. Anonymous
  5. Dott. Ernesto Marelli Direttore Banca Albertini
  6. Anonymous
  7. Anonymous
  8. Anonymous
  9. Camilla
  10. Anonymous
  11. Lauretta Favaretto
  12. Giuliana Jona
  13. PAOLA FAVARETTO
  14. Matteo Fabbrini
  15. gino benza
  16. Paola Morra
  17. Gisella Segagni Lusignani
  18. Dario Mantovani
  19. Anonymous
  20. elena
  21. Giovambattista Ferrara
  22. Anonymous
  23. Anonymous
  24. Anonymous
  25. Anonymous
  26. Anonymous
  27. Anonymous
  28. Tomassini Pieri Alberto Giulia
  29. Anonymous
  30. Giorgio Mantero Ernesto Marelli direttore Banca Albertini
  31. Pierangelo Valtinoni, Piva Ale Ernesto Marelli direttore Banca Albertini
  32. Caterina Antonelli Ernesto Marelli direttore Banca Albertini
  33. Roberto Mortari Ernesto Marelli direttore Banca Albertini
  34. Diego Matessi
  35. Marco De Pietri
  36. Andreina Guglielmino
  37. Giampietro Berti
  38. anna maria bassetto
  39. Pippo Ranci
  40. Rosalba Guglielmino e Carlo Matessi Guglielmino e Carlo Matessi
  41. Andrea Matessi
  42. Gosia & Peter Edwards
  43. Anonymous
  44. Fabio Allegreni
  45. Anonymous
  46. Diego Navati
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  • Minimum Donation

  • Donations starting from 50 euros: personal invitation to official presentations on videoconference of the results. For every donators who wants to be contacted: sending of illustrative materials (e-mail)

  • Donations starting from 500 euros: mentions in the official publications and on the official website of the excavation (www.kinikhoyuk.org))