The international conference on Black Sea archaeology, “Circumnavigating the Black Sea, Prospecting its Hinterland—Projects, Ideas and Interaction,” jointly organized by Assoc. Prof. Thomas Zimmermann (HART) and Prof. Ayşe Fatma Erol (Hacıbayram University) was held on November 6–8 at Bilkent.
The event brought together scholars from Russia, France, Germany and Türkiye. It was a vibrant and inspiring arena for students and colleagues to hear about the most recent archaeological discoveries from caves, hilltop sanctuaries and underwater expeditions.
In his opening address, Rector Prof. Kürşat Aydoğan emphasized not the dividing but rather the unifying character of the Black Sea region, which allowed for the interaction of human communities through trade and exchange throughout millennia. This important notion of diverse cultures united by sea ferrying explorations was also referenced in the opening remarks of the Faculty of Humanities and Letters Dean Prof. Simon Wigley and Bilkent Archaeology Department Chair Asst. Prof. Peter Talloen. Organizers Prof. Ayşe Fatma Erol and Assoc. Prof. Thomas Zimmermann then inaugurated the symposium with their opening address. The following two days were devoted to the most recent research in the Pontic region. Exciting and diverse evidence was presented, including that of graves with female warriors from the central Turkish Black Sea coast; the first pristinely preserved woven basket from the Hittite period; and Iron Age hilltop sanctuaries meant to venerate the mother goddess known as Kybele in later Greek traditions. An evening reception provided an opportunity for further exchange between colleagues in a casual atmosphere. This was followed by an excursion to the Hittite ritual site of Gavurkalesi near Haymana and Phrygian Gordion-Yassıhöyük on Saturday, which culminated the symposium. A publication of the proceedings through an internationally renowned publisher is projected for 2026.
