Ongoing excavations at the ancient Hittite city of Nerik, identified as Oymaağaç Höyük in Vezirköprü, Samsun, have yielded significant discoveries, including hazelnut shells dating back 3,000 years and a substantial underground spring. The 2025 excavation season, led by Professor Dr. Rainer Czichon, is currently focusing on uncovering Iron Age remains, building upon previous findings that confirmed Oymaağaç Höyük as the sacred city of Nerik.
The 3,000-year-old hazelnut shells, analyzed using carbon isotope dating, suggest a shift towards harvesting from more open environments over time, indicating changes in local microhabitats and human impact on the landscape. Hazelnuts were a crucial food source for the Hittites, providing essential nutrients, and their shells likely served as fuel. Their presence within the sacred spring area also hints at a potential ritualistic or symbolic significance.
The unearthing of Nerik's sacred spring, dedicated to the Hittite weather god, is considered particularly astonishing. This underground spring, measuring 8 meters deep, is being described as the largest and most extensive in the Hittite world. Water sources were highly revered by the Hittites, associated with the underworld and vital for rituals, purification, and sustenance, reflecting a deep reverence for water in their culture and daily life.
The engineering of this underground structure, excavated between 2009 and 2019, represents a remarkable achievement in Hittite architecture and water management. The current 2025 excavations are also uncovering a variety of Iron Age artifacts, such as agricultural tools and loom materials, offering valuable insights into the daily life and technological advancements of that era.
Professor Czichon's team has been working at the site since 2005, discovering numerous cuneiform tablets that have provided definitive proof of Oymaağaç Höyük's identity as Nerik. These tablets detail festivals, rituals, and geographical descriptions, reinforcing Nerik's status as a pivotal religious and cultural center for the Hittites. The discovery of the spring aligns with Hittite texts that refer to it as the 'beloved' or 'deep' spring of the weather god, further cementing its sacred status.