Archaeologists in southeastern Turkey have uncovered a remarkably preserved 2,400-year-old town that lay submerged beneath the Dicle Dam Lake for millennia. The site, located near the Eğil district in Diyarbakır province, emerged as water levels receded, revealing intact mosques, religious schools and tombs dating back to ancient civilisations.
Dr İrfan Yıldız, a researcher at Dicle University, noted the extraordinary condition of the structures. 'In the images taken by the teams or when the water recedes, we can see that these historical structures have preserved their integrity and remain standing in a solid condition,' he said. The discovery offers rare insight into the region's prehistoric past.
The submerged settlement features landmarks associated with the Prophet Elisha, the Ottoman-era Caferiye Madrasa (also known as Lala Kasım) and the Byzantine-era Deran Bath. Researchers believe the town thrived under successive empires, including the Hittites, Assyrians, Persians, Romans and Ottomans, who used prehistoric tombs in the area.
The town was flooded after the construction of the Dicle Dam, completed in 1997, to provide water for the region. Before the reservoir filled, some important sites were relocated, but many structures were abandoned and subsequently preserved underwater due to minimal human disturbance.
However, the ruins are now at risk from fluctuating water levels, sediment activity and potential erosion. Dr Yıldız is advocating for protective measures, including underwater archaeological studies, to safeguard the heritage site and uncover more about the ancient community's way of life.
