Press Release - Historical and Archaeological Surface Research Project of the Battle of Malazgirt
The press release for the Historical and Archaeological Surface Research Project of the Battle of Malazgirt started in June 2023. This project has been conducted in collaboration with 12 universities and over 40 scholars since 2020, under the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums, and the leadership of the Ahlat Museum Directorate. Muş Alparslan University and Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University have also been actively involved in this endeavor.
In the first phase of the project, located approximately 7 kilometers southeast of Malazgirt town, in the Afşin neighborhood, an interdisciplinary team consisting of archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, geographers, and visual communicators, with Prof. Dr. Adnan Çevik as the scientific advisor and MAUN Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Alican, as the consultant assistant, conducted excavation works in an area believed to be the "martyrdom and Seljuk military camp."
Based on the results of carbon-14 tests and data obtained from previous excavations, the burial area has been dated back to the 11th century, coinciding with the Battle of Malazgirt. The second phase of the project, which continued throughout July, has focused on the burial area in the Afşin neighborhood to shed light on the human losses during the battle.
In this expanded excavation area, conforming to Islamic burial traditions, a total of 23 graves were unearthed to increase the sample of human skeletal remains. Preliminary observations indicate that some individuals with Asiatic features show signs of trauma likely caused by cutting and piercing tools. Samples have been sent to the Hacettepe University Behavioral Ecology and Archaeometry Laboratory for further analysis. The Hacettepe University Department of Communication's Information and Communication Technologies Division plans to carry out three-dimensional facial reconstructions based on the injuries caused by trauma.
The project, which began with the aim of illuminating the historical identity of Malazgirt, has now entered its fourth year as of 2023. It has drawn significant attention from numerous scholars contributing to battlefield archaeology worldwide. Consequently, team members have been invited to deliver scientific presentations in countries such as Spain and the Russian Federation.
Since its inception, the project has received support from various public institutions and organizations, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Muş Governorate, the Malazgirt District Governorate, the Malazgirt Municipality, and Ziraat Bank. With the ongoing support from these institutions, the project hosted by Muş Alparslan University continues to contribute to Turkey's historical and cultural heritage.
