Malatya Basin and Arslantepe

3D Model

Arslantepe Mound is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Euphrates Basin, with continuous habitation from the 5th millennium BCE to the end of the Neo-Hittite period (8th century BCE), and later traces from the Roman and Medieval periods. Systematic excavations, led since 1961 by the Rome University “La Sapienza” team, have uncovered settlement layers dating back to 4250 BCE. Notably, a palace complex evidencing early state formation was discovered from the Late Chalcolithic period. Over time, the site saw changes in social and political structure, with influences from North Mesopotamia and local communities. In the Iron Age, Arslantepe was a regional Hittite capital, but lost importance after the Assyrian conquest in 712 BCE. Its strategic location offered critical water resources, fertile land, and transportation advantages, making it a historic crossroads for major trade and military routes in Anatolia and Mesopotamia.