Archaeological work carried out on the Gallipoli Peninsula by the Çanakkale Wars Gallipoli Historical Site Directorate found a graveyard belonging to the first Turkish raiders who crossed into Rumelia in the 14th century, officials announced.
The discovery was made during excavations at the Küçükanafarta Historical Turkish Cemetery in Küçükanafarta village, located in the Eceabat district. Researchers identified 8,731 graves spread across a 100-decare area, with burial forms resembling those of Central Asian Turkic traditions.
Gallipoli Historical Site President İsmail Kaşdemir said the findings marked a new chapter in Turkish history. “We have identified the graves of the first Turks — the raiders who crossed into Rumelia — at this historic cemetery, where 8,731 graves have now been uncovered,” he said.
Kaşdemir described the cemetery as a historical seal of the Turkish nation, noting that the burial practices closely resemble those found across the broader Turkic-Islamic geography.
“Just as the Ahlat cemetery represents the Turkish presence in Anatolia, the Küçükanafarta Historical Cemetery holds the same significance for the Turkish presence in Rumelia, the Balkans and Europe,” he said.
Following the identification of the site, the directorate launched detailed studies in cooperation with historians, art historians and universities. Carbon dating, structural analysis of gravestones and examinations of burial forms all point to the early 1300s, Kaşdemir said.
“We determined that this cemetery belongs to the first Turks who crossed into Rumelia in the 14th century. These gravestones are, in a sense, the title deeds of the Turkish nation. They are of immense importance to us,” he added, noting that around three-quarters of the work at the site has already been completed.
Kaşdemir said the cemetery is expected to become a major visitor destination once restoration and preservation efforts are finalized. “The martyrdoms in the Historical Site area are well known. The emergence of Turkish presence here dating back to the 1300s will serve as a vital historical document,” he said.
He also noted that some of the graves feature tall stones reminiscent of balbal stones from Central Asia. One of the oldest graves examined measures around 3 to 4 meters in height, with nearly 2 meters extending underground.
“Based on carbon tests, burial forms and historical evaluation, it has clearly emerged that this is a cemetery belonging to the raiders of the 14th century,” Kaşdemir said, adding that the site could become a counterpart to the Ahlat cemetery in Thrace once work is completed.
