800-Year-Old Ceramic Fragment Depicting Anatolian Leopard Unearthed in Türkiye
An 800-year-old ceramic fragment, believed to depict an Anatolian leopard, was discovered during excavations in Hasankeyf, a historic district in Türkiye's southeastern Batman province, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency
The dig, led by Zekai Erdal of Mardin Artuklu University, concluded in 2024 and revealed significant artifacts, including late Roman tear bottles and Islamic-era ceramics. The Artuqid-period vessel fragment features a scene of animal combat, possibly involving the leopard, thought extinct in Türkiye until its rediscovery in 2019.
Erdal emphasized the importance of this find in documenting the leopard's presence in the 1200s and expressed hopes of unearthing additional pieces of the artifact.
Listed as endangered by the IUCN, the leopard was presumed extinct in Türkiye due to poaching. However, conservation efforts and sightings have confirmed its survival.
Hasankeyf, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited sites, is home to a Byzantine fortress, nearly 6,000 caves, and remains of Christian and Muslim worship. The area was declared a conservation site in 1981.
