Göbeklitepe inspires young Kazakh artists

ASTANA

Göbeklitepe, the 12,000-year-old archaeological site in the southeastern Turkish province of Şanlıurfa and widely referred to as the “zero point of history,” has inspired young representatives of contemporary art from Kazakhstan.

An exhibition titled “SHAFT. Unearthing Hidden Threads,” featuring works by Kazakh artists inspired by the historical and cultural richness of Türkiye’s Southeastern Anatolia region, opened at the National Museum of Kazakhstan in Astana. The exhibition was organized by the Turkish Embassy in Astana.

The opening ceremony was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Astana Mustafa Kapucu, members of the Kazakh Parliament, prominent figures from Kazakhstan’s culture and arts community, historians and archaeologists, as well as foreign ambassadors based in Astana and representatives of Turkish institutions.

Also present at the event was Professor Necmi Karul, head of the Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe excavation projects, who was specially invited for the occasion.

The exhibition was curated by Kazakh artists Baurcan Sagiyev and Madina Sergazina, who toured Türkiye’s Southeastern Anatolia region last year. Works by painter Dariya Nurtaza, created after the trip, are on display.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Sagiyev said the exhibition was the outcome of their artistic and scientific journey to the region. He noted that visiting the Göbeklitepe excavation site left a profound impression on them. “Göbeklitepe, which bears the traces of the oldest known human civilization, affected us deeply,” he said.

As part of the program, Karul also delivered a seminar at the National Museum of Kazakhstan, offering a scientific presentation on Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe to leading Kazakh archaeologists and historians.

He recalled that the Stone Hills (Taş Tepeler) Project was launched by the Culture and Tourism Ministry in Şanlıurfa in 2021, noting that excavations at Göbeklitepe and similar sites are revealing unique remains from the period when humans transitioned to settled life.

Karul also shared his excavation experience during the seminar and suggested that a project similar to the Stone Hills initiative could be launched in Kazakhstan, pointing out that the country has rich kurgan burial sites that are vulnerable to extreme weather conditions.