Archaeologists excavating Türkmen Karahöyük in central Turkey have uncovered two remarkable artifacts that reveal nearly 2,000 years of the ancient settlement’s history. The discoveries from Turkey include a 3,500-year-old stone seal carved with Hieroglyphic Luwian inscriptions and a Late Roman Christian amulet containing an exceptionally thin sheet of gold believed to preserve a passage from the Bible.
The artifacts offer a rare glimpse into two very different periods of life at the site. The Bronze Age seal points to an organized administrative system, while the Christian amulet provides a personal look at the faith and protective beliefs surrounding a child who lived there during the fourth or fifth century A.D.
Gold amulet sheds light on early Christian beliefs
Archaeologists found the Christian amulet inside a small copper container. Within it was a gold sheet measuring only about 0.1 millimeters thick.
The inscription has not yet been fully published, but researchers believe it contains a passage from the Bible. The amulet appears to have belonged to a young child and was likely worn or carried for protection against illness, misfortune, or what people at the time believed were harmful supernatural forces.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, excavation co-director Michele Rüzgar Massa said the object served a role similar to an evil-eye charm. She noted that discoveries of this type are uncommon and said one comparable example has previously been found in Germany.
Archaeologists in Türkiye have uncovered a 3,500-year-old Luwian seal and a rare Christian amulet containing a paper-thin gold sheet believed to carry a biblical passage. The finds reveal nearly 2,000 years of life at Türkmen Karahöyük. pic.twitter.com/1EcusJsATV
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) July 27, 2026
Across the Late Roman world, Christians carried amulets inscribed with prayers, sacred words or passages from the Bible. Many believed that keeping holy scripture close could provide divine protection. Gold was well suited for these objects because it resisted corrosion, allowing even an extremely thin sheet to survive for centuries.
Researchers have not yet identified the biblical passage written on the gold sheet. Once the inscription is fully studied, it could reveal whether the text was intended to seek healing, protection, or another form of divine blessing.
Bronze Age seal points to organized government
The second discovery dates back to the Late Bronze Age. Archaeologists uncovered a stone seal bearing Hieroglyphic Luwian inscriptions, along with two copper seals and a clay sealing. The stone seal records the name Kurunti-ziti and an official title.
Researchers say the name is linked to Kurunta, an important deity worshipped in the Hittite and Luwian traditions.
Although the official was likely not among the highest-ranking authorities, the seal provides evidence of a structured bureaucracy. Officials likely used such seals to authenticate documents, goods, and storage containers. Clay sealings preserved those impressions, offering direct evidence of recordkeeping and administrative control.
Together, the finds suggest Türkmen Karahöyük served as an important administrative center between about 1500 and 1400 B.C.
A settlement shaped by thousands of years
Luwian was an Indo-European language spoken across ancient Anatolia and closely related to Hittite. It was written in both cuneiform and a distinctive hieroglyphic script that combined symbols representing sounds with signs for complete words or ideas.
Ancient seals often preserve the names and titles of officials who would otherwise be lost to history. The Türkmen Karahöyük seal identifies one such individual and offers a rare glimpse into the settlement’s government around 3,500 years ago.
The discoveries come from an excavation that followed six years of archaeological survey and is now in its third season. The project is co-directed by Michele Rüzgar Massa of Bilkent University and James Osborne of the University of Chicago, with Hüseyin Erpehlivan of Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University serving as deputy director.
About 150 people, including around 60 researchers from 13 countries, are participating in the project. Excavations across five areas of the mound continue to uncover archaeological layers from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Hellenistic period and Late Antiquity.
Found at the same settlement, the Bronze Age seal and the Late Roman amulet illustrate how Türkmen Karahöyük changed its language, religion and political identity over thousands of years while remaining an important center in the heart of ancient Anatolia.
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