Urartian Archaeology at Ayanis Kalesi: Recent Findings (2015–2025)

Ongoing Excavations and Reports (2014–2024)

Archaeological excavations at Ayanis Kalesi (ancient Rusahinili Eiduru-kai) have been ongoing for over three decades, with a focus in the past ten years on the citadel’s temple area and its northern slope. A preliminary report covering the 2014–2018 seasons (Işıklı et al., 2019) highlights major discoveries, including a unique building dubbed the “Hall with Podium” east of the main temple (A New Space in the Ayanıs Citadel: The Hall with Podium. A Preliminary Reporton the Excavations of 2014–2018. | AVESİS). Excavations in recent years have also concentrated on the northern slope outside the fortress walls, where archaeologists uncovered what appears to be a “royal garbage dump.” In this refuse area, found in 2023, the team unearthed numerous sealings (bullae), bronze seal impressions, pottery shards, hooks, and large quantities of animal bone believed to be waste from the Urartian elite ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews). These finds are being analyzed to glean insights into the economic and social life (especially diet) of the royal household ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews). Annual excavation reports (including Turkish kazı sonuçları meetings and conference proceedings) consistently emphasize the rich stratigraphy of Ayanis and its importance for understanding late Urartian urbanism (A New Space in the Ayanıs Citadel: The Hall with Podium. A Preliminary Reporton the Excavations of 2014–2018. | AVESİS).

Architectural Discoveries and Studies

One of the most significant architectural finds of the last decade is the discovery of a monumental Hall with Podium adjacent to the Haldi Temple in the Ayanis citadel. Excavated between 2011 and 2018, this large hall features an alabaster podium built against its southern wall, remarkably similar to the decorated podium in the main temple (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)) (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)). The podium is adorned with carved mythological creatures and plant motifs, and its edges were inlaid with mosaics and gold, indicating a ceremonial or royal function (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)) (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)). The mudbrick walls of the hall are well-preserved, showing multiple phases of renovation, which suggests it was an important space maintained over time (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)). Archaeologists describe this Hall with Podium as a “royal–religious space” unique in Urartian architecture, a discovery that has prompted scholars to revise previous assumptions about Urartian ceremonial buildings (A New Space in the Ayanıs Citadel: The Hall with Podium. A Preliminary Reporton the Excavations of 2014–2018. | AVESİS).

Recent architectural studies have also re-examined the fortification walls of Ayanis. Analysis of the southern fortification revealed that Urartian engineers took measures against seismic activity: the stone block walls were founded on a bedding of stone chips to create an “elastic” layer, rather than placing blocks directly on bedrock (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)). This construction method would have helped the walls withstand earthquakes by absorbing shocks (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)). Indeed, archaeoseismic research at Ayanis indicates the site likely suffered massive earthquakes in antiquity, and damage patterns suggest the fortress was ultimately abandoned following a destructive quake (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). The combination of deliberate anti-seismic construction and evidence of earthquake damage provides insight into Urartian architectural resilience and the cause of Ayanis’s demise.

Notable Artifacts and Inscriptions

Excavations over the past decade have yielded a wealth of artifacts that illuminate the material culture and administrative practices at Ayanis:

• Inscribed Bullae and Seals (2014–2015): Archaeologists discovered several clay bullae (sealings) in a trash layer on the northern slope, especially during the 2015 season (Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, ÉTamali | AVESİS). These bullae bear short cuneiform inscriptions listing names of individuals, cities, countries, and professions (Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, ÉTamali | AVESİS). Significantly, one newly unearthed bulla contained a term for a building, read as etamali, which appears to be a previously unknown Urartian building name (Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, ÉTamali | AVESİS). The find of this term is important because it reveals a new type of architectural unit in Urartian administration, though its exact function remains unknown (Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, ÉTamali | AVESİS). The discovery of inscribed sealings in a refuse context suggests that palace or temple archives once existed at Ayanis, and their disposal provides rare data on Urartian bureaucracy and economic storage (the bullae likely sealed containers or storerooms). These findings were documented and analyzed in a 2021 Journal of Cuneiform Studies article (Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, ÉTamali | AVESİS).

• Bronze Shields and Helmet Offerings (2022–2023): Recent seasons have uncovered spectacular metalwork dedicated to the Urartian war god Haldi. In a room of the Haldi temple complex, archaeologists found three large bronze shields and a bronze helmet, all about 2,700 years old and in exceptional condition (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). The items were found beneath collapsed mudbrick debris, indicating they were likely left as ritual deposits before the destruction of the site (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). Turkey’s Ministry of Culture reported that these artifacts were discovered in a ceremonial context, suggesting they were ceremonial or votive objects rather than everyday armor (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). Prof. Mehmet Işıklı noted the helmet’s intricate decorations as evidence that it was used in rituals (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). In total, over 30 bronze shields have been recovered from Ayanis over years of excavation, many of them near temple areas (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). Some shields are decorated with Urartian cuneiform inscriptions and animal motifs (such as lions and bulls), indicating they may bear royal dedications (The bronze shields found at the ayanis fortress (Van region, Turkey ...). The concentration of weaponry and military regalia in the temple strongly suggests that Urartian royalty or elites offered such items to Haldi, likely to invoke the god’s protection in war and the prosperity of the kingdom (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). This trove of weaponry highlights the close link between religion and the military in Urartian society.

• “Royal Dump” Finds (2023): The royal refuse dump identified on the north slope of Ayanis contained everyday refuse from the citadel’s elite occupants ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews). Among the discarded items were broken pottery, animal bones (sheep and cattle), bronze hooks, and additional sealings ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews). The animal bones and food waste will allow archaeologists to reconstruct aspects of the diet and feasting habits of the Urartian aristocracy ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews). The presence of numerous bullae and seal impressions in the dump also corroborates the administrative activities in the fortress (possibly related to inventorying and sealing of storage jars of provisions, since large pithoi storage jars were found in the citadel) (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)) ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews). This refuse area, essentially a midden of the royal household, is a rare find for Urartu and is expected to yield important information about daily life, economy, and the final phase of occupation at Ayanis ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews).

• Monumental Basalt Statue (2023, Garibin Tepe): In a nearby area just 3 km from Ayanis Castle, a rescue excavation at Garibin Tepe uncovered a massive Urartian basalt statue weighing about one ton (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews). Dated to the Urartian period, the roughly 2-meter-long statue is the first of its kind found in the region – a three-dimensional monumental sculpture likely representing a stylized figure or deity (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews) (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews). The statue’s torso and lower body survived (the head/upper part appears broken), and its style is unlike any previously known Urartian sculptural art (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews). According to Prof. Işıklı, Urartian art is generally scarce in large statues, making this an extraordinary discovery that “we have never encountered before” (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews). Urartu is known for its finely crafted metal objects and rock-cut reliefs, but free-standing stone statues are extremely rare (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews). This find, located just outside Ayanis, suggests that Urartian monumental art may have been more diverse than once thought. It also raises new questions about the function of Garibin Tepe (possibly a sacred site or royal installation linked to Ayanis) and how such sculptures were used in the Urartian kingdom (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews) (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews). The statue is undergoing conservation at the Van Museum, and studies are forthcoming to determine whom or what it depicts (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews). This discovery underscores that the environs of Ayanis still hold important surprises and complements the architectural and artifactual finds within the citadel.

Significance of Recent Findings

The academic studies and reports from Ayanis in the past decade provide a richer understanding of late Urartian society (7th century BCE). The architectural innovations – from earthquake-resistant engineering of fortifications (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)) to the unprecedented Hall with Podium – show the sophistication of Urartian builders and the ceremonial grandeur of Rusa II’s reign. Artifacts such as the inscribed bullae offer a glimpse into the administrative system and record-keeping of the fortress, even introducing new terminology to Urartology (Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, ÉTamali | AVESİS). Meanwhile, the dozens of bronze shields, weapons, and other offerings emphasize Ayanis’s role as both a military stronghold and a ritual center devoted to the cult of Haldi (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine) (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). The “royal trash heap” and its contents humanize the archaeology of Ayanis by revealing everyday aspects of elite life – what the Urartians ate, and how they managed their goods ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews). Finally, nearby discoveries like the Garibin Tepe statue expand the cultural horizon, indicating that Urartian art and influence extended beyond the castle’s walls and that new findings can still challenge prevailing narratives (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews) (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews).

Researchers have been publishing these findings in peer-reviewed journals, excavation reports, and conference proceedings. Key publications include excavation summaries in The Archaeology of Anatolia series (A New Space in the Ayanıs Citadel: The Hall with Podium. A Preliminary Reporton the Excavations of 2014–2018. | AVESİS), detailed artifact studies in journals like Journal of Cuneiform Studies (Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, ÉTamali | AVESİS), and news of significant finds reported through scholarly news outlets and press releases (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine). Together, these sources paint a comprehensive picture of Ayanis Kalesi as a vibrant Urartian royal citadel whose ongoing exploration continues to yield valuable information on Urartian architecture, art, and daily life in the kingdom’s final decades. Each season’s discoveries – whether a carved podium, a cache of bronze armaments, or a pit of discarded sealings – contribute to refining our understanding of the Urartian civilization’s complexity and regional impact.

Sources:

• Işıklı, M. et al. (2019). A New Space in the Ayanıs Citadel: The Hall with Podium. Preliminary Report on the Excavations of 2014–2018. In The Archaeology of Anatolia, Volume III: Recent Discoveries (2017–2018), pp. 84–98. (Cambridge Scholars Publishing) (A New Space in the Ayanıs Citadel: The Hall with Podium. A Preliminary Reporton the Excavations of 2014–2018. | AVESİS) (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)). – Report on the discovery of the Hall with Podium and its architectural features.
• Işık, K., Aras, O., & Akın Aras, A. (2021). “Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, Étamali.” Journal of Cuneiform Studies 73(1): 179–192 (Inscribed Bullae Found during Excavations on the Northern Slope of Ayanis Fortress in 2015 and a New Urartian Building Name, ÉTamali | AVESİS). – Details the bullae unearthed at Ayanis, their inscriptions (names, titles, toponyms), and the new building term “tamali” identified in the text.
• Arkeonews (Feb 19, 2025). “‘Urartian Royal garbage dump’ was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle.” ("Urartian Royal garbage dump" was found during excavations at Ayanis Castle - Arkeonews) – News release describing the 2024 season’s discovery of a refuse pit used by the Urartian royal family, containing sealings, pottery, and animal bones.
• Archaeology Magazine (Sept 13, 2024). “Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel.” (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine) (News - Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel - Archaeology Magazine) – Summary of recent finds of three bronze shields and a decorated helmet at Ayanis (with context from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture), highlighting their ceremonial context and connection to the Haldi temple.
• Arkeonews (Sept 2023). “Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental ... Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe.” (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews) (Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe - Arkeonews) – Report on the discovery of a one-ton basalt Urartian statue near Ayanis, its description, and its significance as an unprecedented example of Urartian sculpture.
• Baştürk, M. B. (2018). “New Evaluations on the Superstructure of the Urartian Fortification Walls: The Ayanis Case.” In Urartians: A Civilization in Eastern Anatolia (Proceedings of the I. International Symposium, Istanbul, 2014). – Study of Ayanis’s fortification architecture, including construction techniques to mitigate earthquake damage (Urartians | Ayanis (Rusahinili Eidurukai)). (Conference proceedings)