Ancient sculptures, mosaics and other artefacts were unearthed during recently ended season of excavations in Karkemish, an ancient capital, located on the border of Syria and Turkey.

The ancient city was an independent state but also part of the Mitanni, Hittite and Neo-Assyrian Empires. It was the location of an important battle, that took place around 605 BC, between the Babylonians and Egyptians. The site was excavated before World War I by British archaeologists including Thomas Edward Lawrence (between 1911-1914), later known as Lawrence of Arabia. In recent years the area was de-mined and a Turkish-Italian team of archaeologists started work at the site controlled now by the Turkish military. So far archaeologists discovered sculptures in the palace of King Katuwa, who ruled the area around 900 BC. Among the finds are five large orthostats, upright stones or slabs, carved in limestone and basalt, a dark grey to black rock, that portray rows of individuals bearing gifts of gazelle.  The archaeologists also found a mosaic floor in the palace of Sargon II, who reigned around 700 BC. over Assyria. Moreover researchers excavated the ruins of the expedition house of Lawrence of Arabia. Next year, after seven years of excavations The Karkamış Ancient City Archaeological Park is scheduled to open.

(after Hurriyet Daily News)