symbolic

Archaeologists working in Central Anatolia have uncovered a collection of prehistoric petroglyphs near Mount Erciyes that fundamentally reshapes our understanding of symbolic expression in the region. The discovery in Kayseri's Develi district reveals engravings dating to approximately 6000 BC, millennia before the rise of the Hittite Empire that would later dominate these lands. Carved into dark volcanic rocks scattered across the southern foothills of Mount Erciyes, these ancient markings capture human and animal figures alongside geometric patterns. The discovery, currently awaiting official registration with Turkish cultural authorities, represents one of the most significant prehistoric finds in the region in decades. Early analysis dates the engravings to the Late Neolithic or Early Chalcolithic period, offering a rare glimpse into how early