CAN A SINGLE STONE CHANGE HISTORY?

The archaeologists found a black stone figurine during their excavation in the Çukuriçi Höyük (Çukuriçi Tell) in Ephesus. It was a simple, 2 cm long amulet, however it changed the whole history of Western Anatolia as it was 9 thousand years old!

IT WAS AN OLD STONE, OLDER THAN THE KNOWN HISTORY OF EPHESUS BACK THEN.

The amulet figure that was found by the archaeologists that day prove that the ancient city of Ephesus went back to 7000 BC instead of the general knowledge which is 6000 BC

THE LITTLE FIGURINE OF A LADY TOOK THE HISTORY OF EPHESUS A THOUSAND YEARS BACK.

The artefact had been hand carved from natural black stone and is believed to be a protective charm against dangers and illnesses. The engraved breasts and hips of the figurine were exaggerated whereas the face was obscure. The oldest find that was excavated from the golden city is a figurine of a woman which proves that the city is 9000 years old. The necklace is about 2.1 cm and it has a hole in the middle. The discovery of this little stone lady, re-defined the age of the capital of Rome’s Asian Nomarchy, the Golden City of Ephesus as 1000 years older than what was believed to be.

It’s an interesting twist in history that Ephesus have always been famous for its women. The 9000 year old stone figurine, the Amazon women in the city’s myths, The Ephesus Artemis who is literally the successor of the Anatolian Mother Goddess Kybele and last but not the least, Virgin Mary… They are the powerful women this city have always been identified with.

It’s not clear from what sort of dangers or illnesses this amulet was supposed to protect the women who were wearing it. The fact found out by the research of the archaeological team is that it belongs to the Neolithic Era. This figurine which caused the whole Western Anatolian history to be re-written is exhibited in the Ephesus Museum, in the Ephesus For Ages hall.

THE LOCATION OF ÇUKURİÇİ HÖYÜK:

The tell is located 1 km southeast of Ephesus Ancient City, 500 metres to the Magnesia entrance, 100 metres west of the Aydın highway, at Çukuriçi , aka Ancient Smyrna. Dervent River flows by the tell that is situated in a triangle formed by Selçuk, Aydın and Ephesus.

Çukuriçi Höyük is the oldest settlement in Ephesus reaching back to Neolithic Age, Chalcolithic age and Early Bronze Age.

The tell’s proximity to sea strongly suggests that the settlers lived on fishing as well as farming and stock breeding. The geomorphologists have unearthed many sea shells during their excavations which prove that the Aegean Sea used to stretch out to the inland, right next to the city.