Late Hittite-era oven sheds light on ancient cuisine in eastern Türkiye

MALATYA

Archaeologists have uncovered a 3,000-year-old oven dating back to the Late Hittite period during excavations at the Arslantepe Mound, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the eastern province of Malatya.

Francesca Balossi Restelli, head of the excavation team, explained that this year’s work began in August and focused on the northern section of the site.

She said the team discovered an underground oven resembling a traditional “tandır,” a clay oven, often used for baking bread and slow-cooking meat. Similar structures were found in the same area in 2022, according to Restelli.

“We found two oven-like installations inside a Late Hittite building, but they were not typical because they were set below floor level,” Restelli explained.

Inside, they uncovered clay-built supports and a large number of animal bones.

"This showed us that the ovens were not used for baking bread but for cooking meals. The discovery marked our third example this year, dating to around 1100–1000 B.C.E.”

According to Restelli, the ovens were specifically designed for preparing meat dishes.

“I believe the method was very similar to today’s paper kebab. Meat was placed inside, covered with a clay lid and left to cook for hours, even overnight,” she said.

Restelli highlighted striking parallels between ancient and modern food traditions in the region.

“I would like to invite Malatya’s chefs here, because the cooking culture we see today is closely connected to what we are finding in the excavations. The continuity between past and present is remarkable.”

The Arslantepe Mound, located 15 kilometers southwest of the Euphrates River, has been inhabited for thousands of years due to its high agricultural potential, wetlands and protection from the river's floods.

It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2021.

The mound’s embankment is 30 meters high, and it was inhabited between 5000 B.C. and the 11th century A.D.

More than 2,000 stamp seals, a statue of King Tarhunza and two lion statues from the late Hittite period have been found at the site. The temple at Arslantepe dates back to 3600-3500 B.C.