Millennia-old rock art site in Aydın granted protected status
AYDIN
Authorities have granted protected status to a site containing 8,000-year-old rock paintings in the western province of Aydın, after researchers identified the ancient artwork during a recent field survey.
The ancient paintings were found four months ago during a field survey conducted by an ecological protection association, EKODOSD, in the Beşparmak Mountains near Koçarlı, a district in the province bordering the city of Muğla.
The region, also known as Latmos, is renowned for its unique landscape and historical significance.
According to Bahattin Sürücü, the head of the association, the rock paintings were identified in a remote section of the mountains, far from previously documented sites.
Following photographic documentation and a formal report submitted to the local cultural heritage preservation board, the area was examined and declared a first-degree archaeological site, Sürücü explained.
In addition to the Neolithic-era paintings, the site contains remnants of ancient metalworking workshops, ceramic fragments and structural ruins.
Sürücü noted that most known rock art in Latmos is concentrated around Mount Tekerlek.
However, the latest discovery, located at a considerable distance from the central cluster, suggests that similar artworks may be spread across a wider area than previously thought.
"These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive conservation approach to protect and study the broader Latmos region, which likely holds many more undiscovered rock paintings," Sürücü said.
