Important findings were made in the 'lost city' of Togu Balık

The long-lost city of Togu Balik, mentioned in the Orkhon Inscriptions, was discovered last year during archaeological excavations carried out in Mongolia under the leadership of İKÇÜ with the support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).

Excavations in the Tuul Valley, approximately 8,000 kilometers away, have pushed back the known date of the Turks' transition to a settled life by 100 years. Following the discovery made in 2024, the excavation season was expanded this year. A 40-person team, including archaeologists, art historians, botanists, paleographers, and drilling teams, is working on this season's excavations. The team has set up seven tents and a laboratory at the site and is examining the unearthed artifacts on-site. Mongolian scientists are also participating in the work.

'MORE THAN THOUSANDS OF HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS WERE UNCOVERED'

It was announced that significant findings regarding Turkish mining activities were unearthed during this season's excavations, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Şaban Doğan, Dean of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at İKÇÜ, and led by Prof. Dr. Anıl Yılmaz and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Enkhtur Altangerel. In addition to data on economic life, the excavations also unearthed a palace structure, numerous mining workshops, and more than a thousand historical artifacts.

"WE HAVE SERIOUS DATA"

Prof. Dr. Doğan, stating that they implemented a multidisciplinary work model, said, "We have succeeded in obtaining very important data. We determined that gold and copper were being processed in the areas and workshops we discovered on the outskirts of the city last year. During our surface surveys, we also found mining pits dating back to ancient times. Therefore, we now have significant data demonstrating that the city's economy was based on mining. Our work will continue in this vein. We are also working on the architecture. We are nearly finished working on the remains of a palace this year." It was announced that following the completion of the excavation season, the work will continue with scientific research within the İKÇÜ (Istanbul Technical University).