SHOTLIST

SANLIURFA, TÜRKİYE (NOV. 28, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL)

1. WIDE SHOT OF VISITORS LOOKING AT NEOLITIC ARTIFACTS IN SHOWCASES (2 SHOTS)

2. VARIOUS OF 3D NEOLITIC HUMAN STATUE IN SHOWCASE

3. VISITORS LOOKING AT ANOTHER STATUE IN SHOWCASE

4. NEOLITIC JEWELLERY IN SHOWCASE

5. VARIOUS OF NEOLITIC ARTIFACTS IN SHOWCASES AS PEOPLE ROAM IN AREA OF EXHIBITION

6. (SOUNDBITE) COORDINATOR OF TAS TEPELER PROJECT, PROF. DR. NECMI KARUL, SAYING:

“It’s impossible to briefly summarize what we have discovered and brought to light over the course of five years. However, at the very least, the fifth year of the Tas Tepeler project has shown that it is indeed possible to carry out a scientific study in great harmony — in harmony between the local community and the scientists, and equally in harmony with the bureaucracy.”

7. NEOLITIC ARTIFACTS IN SHOWCASE

8. (SOUNDBITE) COORDINATOR OF TAS TEPELER PROJECT, PROF. DR. NECMI KARUL, SAYING:

“This year, we wanted to move a portion of the newly discovered findings to the exhibition quickly. The preparations for that were completed. Once those were ready, we also had the opportunity to present those artifacts in this way, especially as it coincided with the 5th anniversary of the project. If you ask, ‘Did you have difficulties?’ — yes, we did. Because there are a large number of artifacts.”

9. NEOLITIC JEWELLERY IN SHOWCASE

10. (SOUNDBITE) COORDINATOR OF TAS TEPELER PROJECT, PROF. DR. NECMI KARUL, SAYING:

“We determined this selection with the following logic. First, the three-dimensional human statues constitute one of the important groups of findings from this year. On the other hand, we made a selection from the ornaments, as they convey to us the prehistoric human’s understanding of adornment and jewelry-making.”

11. WHITE FLASH

12. (SOUNDBITE) COORDINATOR OF TAS TEPELER PROJECT, PROF. DR. NECMI KARUL, SAYING:

“Similarly, we also made a selection of small-sized artifacts that have symbolic value. In choosing them, we applied several criteria — such as the groups they form, the way they were made, and the fact that they belong to different traditions of craftsmanship. Based on these, we selected 29 pieces from among all the artifacts — as you said, with some difficulty.”

13. VISITORS LOOKING AT NEOLITIC ARTIFACTS IN SHOWCASES

SANLIURFA, TÜRKİYE - NOV. 28: A selection of 29 pivotal artifacts, including remarkable 3D human statues unearthed this year at the prehistoric sites of Gobeklitepe and Karahantepe in southeasternTürkiye, will be unveiled to the public for the first time in 2026.

The discoveries are a result of the extensive Tas Tepeler (Stone Hills) Project, a major five-year archaeological initiative in Sanliurfa province that is shedding new light on Neolithic life and belief systems.

The artifacts will be featured in a special exhibition at the Sanliurfa Archaeology Museum.

The collection, curated from excavations across 12 different sites, includes statues, symbolic objects, and ornaments that illuminate the period's ritualistic understanding. Among the highlights are the human statues and a finely crafted leopard statue.

Professor Dr. Necmi Karul, the project coordinator, emphasized the significance of the findings and the collaborative international effort behind the project.

He noted that the selection for the exhibition was carefully made to represent distinct groups of artifacts, showcasing different traditions of craftsmanship from the era.

The ongoing Tas Tepeler Project involves hundreds of experts from around the globe and includes the world-renowned site of Gobeklitepe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site often referred to as the world's oldest known temple complex.

Reporting by Rauf Maltas‌

Writing by Sibel Uygun