OVER A THOUSAND ARTIFACTS UNEARTHED
-DIYARBAKIR - 06.09.2006 - Eight excavations out of the nine conducted in Bismil town of southeastern city of Diyarbakir have been completed.
Nevin Soyukaya, deputy curator of Diyarbakir Museum, told the A.A on Wednesday that five Turkish and four foreign teams have been conducting the excavations since the beginning of 2006 in the Bismil tumuluses which will be buried under the water of Ilisu Dam Lake.
Soyukaya announced that over 1000 artifacts from the Neolithic era to the Ottomans have been unearthed in the excavations.
"Dicle Valley has been a residential area since the Neolithic period. Consequently, there are artifacts belonging to this period. The excavations of the historical artifacts have been carried out since 2002 and will continue until the building of Ilisu Dam Lake" Soyukaya added.
Culture & Tourism Ministry, Middle East Technical University and General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works signed a protocol to save the historical and cultural assets in the certain tumuluses in Bismil and consequently in 2002 the excavations started.