Istanbul Gelisim University - Mobile DNA center established at archaeological excavation site

Mobile DNA center established at archaeological excavation site

A mobile DNA center has been established for the first time in Turkey in the Ayasuluk Hill and St. Jean Monument excavation. Thanks to the mobile DNA center, the important materials found in the excavation will not need to be sent to centers abroad.

While Ayasuluk Hill and St. Jean Monument excavation continues with the support of Istanbul Gelisim University, a mobile DNA center has been established in the excavation area where important remains for the Christian world have been found. The mobile DNA center established for the first time in Turkey at the Ayasuluk Hill and St. Jean Monument Excavation area is named as the Ancient DNA Research Center (ADRC), and there will be no need to send important finds from the excavation to DNA centers abroad thanks to the center.

Stating that ADRC is the first DNA center established in archaeological sites in Turkey, the head of the excavation, Lecturer Assoc. Dr. Sinan Mimaroğlu from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Department of Art History said, “In this center, the DNA of organic materials extracted from the field will be analyzed by anthropologists and geneticists. This is a first in Turkey.”

Indicating that DNA research in Turkey is an expensive procedure that can be done in a few centers, Mimaroğlu said, “Very important DNA findings were sent abroad. Since human DNA is a very important material, we felt the need to establish such a center because it was not right to share this information.”

“WE ANALYZE MANY MATERIALS”

Stating that sponsor support is important for archaeological excavations, Mimaroğlu emphasized the importance of their stakeholders in the excavations by saying, “We continue the excavations with the budget given by the Ministry. In addition, we are supported by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Selçuk Chamber of Commerce, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Selçuk Municipality and especially Istanbul Gelisim University for the analyses.”

Emphasizing that Istanbul Gelisim University has been working on the Ayasuluk Hill and St. Jean Monument excavations with its expert team, academics and graduates since 2018, Res. Asst. Fırat Baranaydın from the Istanbul Gelisim University Department of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Restoration said, “We analyze materials in our 2021 scientific research project. In this context, we analyze many materials both in churches, Hellenistic structures and ceramics in the project we conduct with our Material Engineer Asst. Prof. Cansu Noberi from Istanbul Gelisim University. We will continue the analysis and restoration work in different dimensions.”