Mysteria
Porsuk Höyük — Zeyve Höyük (Ulukışla)
Verified37.5200° N · 34.5800° E · 1360 m

Porsuk Höyük — Zeyve Höyük (Ulukışla)

Zeyve Höyük · Porsuk-Ulukışla Höyük · Tunahöyük

Middle Bronze to Byzantine (2000 BCE–1100 CE; peak LBA–Iron)·Hittite → Syro-Hittite → Phrygian → Neo-Assyrian → Hellenistic·🇹🇷 Niğde Province, Ulukışla District, Porsuk stream Cilician Gates, Turkey

Open in atlas Directions

About

About Porsuk Höyük — Zeyve Höyük (Ulukışla)

Porsuk/Zeyve Höyük is a strategically walled Late Bronze to Iron Age fortress (40 m high island mound) guarding the Cilician Gates (Gülek Boğazı), excavated by Olivier Pelon (French-Turkish) since 1969. Hittite Empire casemate fortlet under Tudhaliya, Phrygian post-Hittite burn, 7th c. Neo-Assyrian/Syro-Hittite stepped gate with basalt orthostats, Hellenistic-Roman castrum. Inscribed HÁ-T-TU-S-A seals and Hieroglyphic Luwian blocks.

Why it mattersOnly Cilician Gates pass-fort with continuous Bronze Age to Roman stratigraphy proving Hittite road to Cilicia.

Open questions

Mysteries & theories

Mysteries

  1. 01Extent of Phrygian burn vs Kimmerian?

Theories

  1. 01Pelon: late Hittite frontier reinterpreted by Syro-Hittite polities

Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.

History

How it came to be

Built
c.1600 BCE (Hittite early)
Period
Middle Bronze to Byzantine (2000 BCE–1100 CE; peak LBA–Iron)
Culture
Hittite → Syro-Hittite → Phrygian → Neo-Assyrian → Hellenistic
Builders
Hittite kings then Phrygians
Purpose
Taurus pass control point between Tarsus and Tyana (Cappadocia)
Abandoned
Medieval
Rediscovered
1969 French missions (Brice/Pelon)
Excavation
Excavation ongoing

  1. c.1220 BCE

    Hittite casemate wall with gate inscription

  2. 1969–

    Pelon French expedition ongoing

On the ground

Structures & features

37.5200° N · 34.5800° E · 1360 m · 3 mapped features

Search Mysteria

Search places, or jump to a section