In Anatolia the circle of lost children, the discovery

In central Anatolia, in present-day Turkey, a mysterious and poignant past is resurfacing thanks to the discovery of what has already been dubbed "the circle of lost children." During the eighteenth excavation campaign at the Uşaklı Höyük site, conducted by the Italian Archaeological Mission and coordinated by the University of Pisa, the remains of seven children were found in a context that suggests ritual practices dating back to the Hittite period, in the Bronze Age, primarily between the 17th and 12th centuries BC.

The discovery, made in the so-called 'Circular Structure,' an enigmatic stone building that has already attracted scientific attention in recent years, sheds new light on the community rituals of Late Bronze Age populations. The infants' bones were not found in actual tombs, but scattered among pottery fragments, animal remains, and ashes: a combination that suggests sacred rites, perhaps similar to those performed in the tophets of ancient Phoenician cities.

"The connection between the remains and monumental architecture is now evident," explains Professor Anacleto D'Agostino, archaeologist at the University of Pisa and director of the excavation. "We are looking at a space with a ritual function, linked to community practices and the symbolic values of Hittite society."

One of the most significant finds from the excavation is an infant's tooth, in remarkably good condition. In addition to allowing for an absolute dating, DNA analysis could provide crucial genetic information about the population that inhabited the site, now identified by many scholars as the holy city of Zippalanda, dedicated to the cult of the Storm God.

The site of Uşaklı Höyük is located on the central Anatolian plateau and represents one of the main Hittite settlements studied in Anatolia. The 2025 campaign, conducted by the University of Pisa in collaboration with Turkish and international universities, covered several strategic areas.

In Area F of the site, archaeologists identified new walls dating to a late phase of Hittite occupation. The structures reflect the presence of the 'Circular Structure,' suggesting its continued use over time, likely for a cultic purpose. Paving and eastern stratifications indicate prolonged occupation, strengthening the hypothesis that this space represented the sacred center of the settlement.

In the acropolis, excavations have documented for the first time a sequence of dwellings and public spaces spanning a chronological span from the Iron Age to the Hellenistic period. A destruction deposit, discovered four meters underground, yielded burnt stones and ash that could reveal new details about a still little-known phase of the region.

In parallel, in Area G, the study of the medieval necropolis continues, with genetic analyses on a buried family that could offer new clues on the demographic recomposition of Anatolia after the historic battle of Manzikert (1071 AD).

Alongside the structural and human remains, the Italian Archaeological Mission has collected a wealth of material evidence: ceramics, animal remains, seeds, and charcoal, which reveal a mixed economy of livestock farming, hunting, and ritual practices. In Area F, a pit containing the remains of horses, cattle, goats, donkeys, and even a hare may have been used for collective ceremonies or sacrificial offerings.

Archaeobotanical and genetic studies are ongoing, aiming to reconstruct the agricultural environment and biological composition of ancient Anatolian populations. Analyses of human and animal DNA, conducted at the Human_G laboratory at Hacettepe University in Ankara, promise groundbreaking results for understanding the region's social and cultural dynamics.

The project is the only Italian archaeological mission active at a Hittite site in the mainland and benefits from the cooperation of numerous Turkish and European institutions, including the universities of Koç, UCL, Florence, Siena, Rome Sapienza, and Hacettepe. It is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Foundation for the Eastern Mediterranean, the Prin AlandAcon project with Next Generation EU funding, and the University of Oxford.

An experience that combines scientific research, education, and cultural diplomacy, contributing to the rediscovery of an ancient civilization and its still unsolved mysteries.