Ancient Fig Seeds Unearthed at Yassitepe Mound in Anatolia
The ancient city of Izmir has continued to reveal its secrets as new discoveries have been made during recent excavations in Yeşilova and Yassıtepe mounds. Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Bornova Municipality, and Ege University, the excavations have unearthed fascinating remains dating back thousands of years.
One of the intriguing discoveries is the evidence that the first residents of Izmir consumed seafood, particularly mussels, similar to the habits of modern-day city residents. Remains of sea bream, sea urchin, oysters, and mussels have been found, shedding light on the ancient diet of Izmir’s inhabitants.
In addition to these culinary discoveries, the excavations at Yassıtepe Mound have also uncovered something quite remarkable – the first fig seeds of Anatolia, dating back an astonishing 5,000 years. Assoc. Dr. Zafer Derin, a faculty member of the Ege University Faculty of Letters Department of Archeology and Head of Excavation, emphasized the significance of this find, stating, “Yassıtepe Mound is the first urban settlement area of Izmir. Here we found fig seeds for the first time in the ruins of houses dating back 5 thousand years ago. It is an important find. Because Anatolia is the cradle and homeland of figs. Figs have been produced here for thousands of years.”
This discovery is particularly meaningful as figs have been identified as one of Anatolia’s oldest and most important export products. Dr. Derin noted, “Figs are Turkey’s important export product. We export almost 1/4 of the world’s exports from Anatolia. Therefore, the fact that such a fig sample came from Yassitepe is important for Izmir. Izmir is a city known for its trade with figs and grapes.”
The fig seeds found at Yassıtepe Mound were detected by archaeo-botanist Dr. Özgür Çizer and are currently being prepared for publication. The findings from these ongoing excavations continue to offer valuable insights into the history and ancient culture of Izmir, adding to the rich tapestry of the city’s heritage.
