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3,000-year-old footprint of Urartian teen discovered in Turkey’s Van
3,000-year-old footprint of Urartian teen discovered in Turkey’s Van
Archaeologists have unearthed an ancient footprint at the Van Castle in eastern Turkey, believed to have belonged to an Urartian teenager who lived in the area some 3,000 years ago. Click through for the story in photos...
The Van Castle was the center of Tushpa, the capital of the Kingdom of Urartu from 832 BC to 590 BC.
Turkish archaeologists, led by Erkan Konyar from Istanbul University, continue excavations in the castle, with the latest finding coming on Aug. 14, according to Demirören News Agency.
Bülent Genç from Mardin Artuklu University told the agency that the ancient footprint was found near an Urartu residence.
“Urartu houses had stone foundations and adobe walls. We found the footprint which probably belongs to a 13- or 15-year-old child who had stepped on the adobe when it was wet during the construction of the house,” Genç said.
“It’s an exciting discovery. The footprint is under protection now, and we’ve also made a mold to copy it. Our research will continue,” he added.
The kingdom, whose people spoke the extinct language of Urartian, rose to power in the mid-9th century BC, but went into gradual decline and was eventually conquered by the Iranian Medes in the early 6th century BC.
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