The military artifacts found within the temple complex may be offerings from an ancient kingdom to their supreme deity.
During excavations of an ancient castle in Turkey, archaeologists discovered several military artifacts: three shields and a bronze helmet dating back 2,700 years.
Restoration work is ongoing at Ayanis Castle, a Urartian fortress approximately 2,700 years old. (Photo: Anadolu).
The research team found the armor within a temple complex at Ayanis Castle, a fortress located near Lake Van in eastern Turkey, built by the Kingdom of Urartu (also known as the Kingdom of Van), which thrived from the 9th to the 6th century BC. This kingdom is renowned for its military strength as well as its artistry, particularly in metallurgy.
The discovery of the bronze shields and helmet was announced by Mehmet Ersoy, Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, on Instagram and X. The temple complex is dedicated to Haldi, the principal deity of Urartu. The combat artifacts may have been offerings to Haldi.
Paul Zimansky, a history professor at Stony Brook University in Turkey, stated: “This castle proves to be the wealthiest Urartian site in Turkey for many reasons, not least of which is the quantity of bronze associated with the temple.”
Professor Zimansky added: “Similar bronze shields and helmets have been found at Ayanis in the past, including a more elaborate shield and helmet excavated in 1997 with a lion’s head affixed to it.”
The current excavation at Ayanis Castle, led by Mehmet Isikli, a professor of archaeology at Ataturk University, is still ongoing.
