Gaziantep, Turkey is preparing to welcome the world with the comprehensive revitalization of the Dülük Ancient City. This significant project, slated for completion in 2025, is a collaborative effort between the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and the Şehitkamil Municipality. The initiative aims to significantly enhance the site's international recognition and boost tourism by developing new visitor amenities, including a stone quarry road, dedicated event spaces, improved seating, and enhanced landscaping. Informative signage and multilingual panels will be installed to provide deeper historical context.
The revitalization plan also incorporates educational and cultural elements such as workshops on ancient stone processing techniques, digital narrative presentations, open-air exhibitions, and academic seminars. Excavation activities for 2025 are already underway, with the Gaziantep Governorship providing crucial support by supplying containers for the Dülük Ancient City Coordinator Excavation Directorate. These ongoing operations are focused on uncovering the rich historical treasures buried beneath the surface.
Dülük Ancient City holds a history stretching back as far as 600,000 years, situated at the crossroads of Mesopotamian and Anatolian civilizations. It is renowned for its rock tombs, ancient stone quarry, and settlement remnants, most notably housing the world's largest Mithraeum. This ancient temple dedicated to Mithras, a deity popular in the Roman Empire, highlights the diverse religious practices of the region. The Mithraeum, often constructed to resemble a cave, served as a space for initiation and ritual meals, with Dülük's site being a significant example of this ancient cult.
Mayor of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, Fatma Şahin, has articulated her vision for showcasing the city's unique historical significance, hinting at a potential collaboration with acclaimed author Ahmet Ümit. Ümit, a native of Gaziantep, has previously stressed the importance of integrating gastronomy with the city's cultural and historical heritage to elevate its global appeal. His involvement could further amplify the revitalization efforts and draw broader attention to Dülük Ancient City.
The historical depth of Dülük is further evidenced by Paleolithic-era stone tools, unofficially termed the "Dulicien culture." The site has been a significant religious center, associated with deities such as Dülük during the Hittite Empire, Teshup during the Hellenistic period, and Jupiter Dolikhenos during the Roman era. Its importance for Mithraism, underscored by the discovery of two significant underground Mithraic temples, highlights its role as a spiritual hub throughout antiquity. Excavations since 2015 have also revealed a 4,500-year-old seal and a 4th-century church, further illuminating the layered history of this ancient settlement.