A nearly 1,000-year-old sundial has been unveiled to the public following its discovery during excavations at the Ani archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Kars, Turkey.
The sundial, unearthed in 2021 during excavations in the bathhouse area, has been put on display in a museum for the first time, attracting the attention of both local and foreign tourists.
Ani, an ancient city that once thrived with various civilizations, boasts around 25 significant structures, including city walls, mosques, cathedrals, palaces, churches, monasteries, baths, bridges, and remnants of a collapsed covered passage. The site is known for its approximately 1,500 underground structures.
Hakim Aslan, the Acting Director of the Kars Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, stated that the sundial is part of the "100+2 Museum Exhibitions Project" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He highlighted that the sundial, discovered during the 2021 excavations, has now been prepared for display.
Aslan explained that sundials have been observed since very early periods, particularly gaining momentum during the Roman and Hellenistic periods. However, he noted that developments related to sundials in the Middle Ages did not advance significantly, even falling behind the Hellenistic period.
Describing the importance of the sundial, Aslan emphasized its historical significance.