Archaeological excavations continue in Çobankale

Archaeological excavations continue at Çobankale Castle, which played an important role in repelling the First Crusade and the establishment period of the Ottoman Empire. Many researchers from various universities accompany the studies, in which Res. Asst. Esra Sayın from the Cultural Heritage Conservation and Restoration Department of Istanbul Gelisim University is also a part of the scientific committee.

Archaeological excavations, first carried out by Clive Foss and Prof. Dr. Halil İnalcık in the 19th century, continue in Çobankale, located in the Altınova District of Yalova. Excavations to uncover Çobankale and bring the region to cultural tourism are carried out under the direction of Assoc. Prof. Selçuk Seçkin from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. The project, supported by the Turkish Historical Society, continues uninterruptedly for 12 months of the year.

“MANY WORKS WHICH SHED LIGHT ON TURKISH HISTORY”

From Istanbul Gelisim University, Department of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Restoration, Esra Sayın gave information about the excavations and said, “The Çobankale Castle, built in the 11th century and thought to have been used until the 14th century, played an important role in the East Roman Seljuk struggle, repelling the First Crusade and the establishment period of the Ottoman State. In the archaeological excavations carried out since 2017, many artifacts that shed light on Turkish history have been unearthed.”

Sayın continued her speech as follows:

“Having witnessed important events in Turkish and world history, Çobankale also plays an important role in illuminating the historical geography of the Marmara Region. It is planned that the castle will be restored after the excavation works are completed.”