Human Face Discovered on Ancient Pillar in Turkey
Within the framework of the Stone Hills project, an initiative aimed at preserving some of the oldest and most enigmatic sites in southeastern Turkey – including Göbekli Tepe, Karahantepe, Sayburç and Çakmaktepe – the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced an exceptional find. During excavations carried out in 2025 at Karahantepe, a “T” shaped pillar has come to light with a human face sculpted on its top.
Until now, sites such as Göbekli Tepe and Karahantepe have yielded pillars with reliefs of arms, hands, and animals, traditionally interpreted as symbolic representations of the human being or entities linked to the spiritual world. But this new discovery is special. According to the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, “It is a unique piece within the archaeological complex of Stone Hills and world prehistoric heritage.”
The pillar discovered at Karahantepe displays a human face carved into the monolith, featuring sharp facial features, deeply excavated eye sockets, and a wide, straight nose. “The style is similar to that of human sculptures previously discovered at Karahantepe,” researchers state, “which demonstrates the high technical level developed by the ancient Neolithic communities.”
Schematic Portraits
Archaeologists previously interpreted the T-shaped pillars as stylized representations of humans, as some featured engraved arms and hands. However, the appearance of a clearly carved human face now suggests that “in addition to its symbolic value, these structures could constitute true schematic portraits of human figures, possibly linked to collective memory or the ritual environment,” explained Ersoy.
This magnificent discovery reinforces the hypothesis that during the early Neolithic period, there was an “artistic explosion” during which communities began to transform their environment and represent themselves.
[Image of Detail of the pillar with a human face discovered in Karahantepe.]