Excavations that began this year at Asarkale, located in Samsun, aim to shed light on the region's history, spanning from the Hellenistic period to the Ottoman era.

Strategically important throughout various periods, Asarkale, located in Samsun’s Bafra district, was built by King Mithridates VI of Pontus. Known as one of the 56 castles from the Pontus Kingdom era in Anatolia, the archaeological digs at Asarkale, which commenced this year, are vital for both preserving the site and passing it on to future generations.

The Samsun Governorship Investment Monitoring and Coordination Directorate, Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, and Bafra Municipality support the excavation. Kenan Sürül, the director of Samsun Archaeology Museum, leads the excavation. The excavations, which are expected to continue until the end of the year, involve nine faculty members from Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) as well as ten doctoral and master's students.

“Artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman Periods Expected”

OMU Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Archeology Department lecturer and scientific consultant of the excavation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kasım Oyarçin, spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA) about the collaboration between Bafra Municipality and OMU. He explained that in August, architects and map engineers from OMU began working on a survey of Asarkale.

Due to its location near the Kızılırmak Delta and surrounding agricultural lands, Asarkale historically played a role in controlling trade and agriculture. Oyarçin noted:

“We began by clearing the vegetation around the existing ruins of the castle to document them. We plan to map and survey the site, eventually preparing a restoration project. If approved, the project will prevent the walls from deteriorating and ensure the preservation of Asarkale for future generations. The plan is to make the castle accessible, with a glass terrace marking the end of the visitor route.”

Oyarçin added that the goal is to preserve Asarkale while simultaneously promoting it as a tourist attraction during the ongoing excavations. He explained that the stones found on the site are being carefully stored for the castle’s restoration. Basic paths and steps have already been laid with permission from the Samsun Cultural Heritage Preservation Board to make access easier and safer for visitors.

To prevent illegal excavations, a security guard has been appointed by Bafra Municipality to oversee Asarkale and its surroundings. “We expect to find artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods during the excavations,” Oyarçin said. He added that while surface findings have primarily included significant artifacts from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, they anticipate uncovering Roman and Hellenistic materials as they dig deeper.

Efforts to Include the Site on the Tourism Route

Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Cemal Almaz highlighted that Asarkale, a newly established archaeological site, contains residential areas, walls, cisterns, underground passages, and stepped tunnels. “We aim to bring these to light. As one of Anatolia's key centers of civilization, this site will soon be opened to tourism. We plan to develop a travel route incorporating the rock tombs in the area, enhancing tourism in Samsun and the surrounding region,” Almaz said.

Hasan Dikmen, the expert museum researcher from Bafra Archaeology and Ethnography Museum and specialist in Asarkale excavations, pointed out that excavations have been ongoing at İkiztepe since 1974. “The initiation of new excavations in Bafra, in addition to İkiztepe, will provide valuable archaeological findings, many of which are already exhibited at the Samsun and Bafra Archaeology Museums,” Dikmen explained.