A bone musical instrument dating back 8,500 years was unearthed at the excavation site in Bilecik’s Bahçelievler District, where 9,000-year-old remains were found.
The first 8,500-year-old musical instrument of Anatolia was found in Bilecik. It is stated that the bone object, which will soon be exhibited at the Bilecik Archeology Museum, may be the first known musical instrument in Anatolia.
The excavations started in the region with the support of the Governor’s Office and Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University (BŞEÜ) Rectorate within the scope of the protocol signed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Bilecik Municipality last year as a result of a person living in the neighborhood reporting the ceramic pieces he saw in the empty field to the Archeology Museum.
During the excavations, 11 human skeletons, and seed remains such as einkorn wheat, gernik wheat, bread and durum wheat, barley, lentil and karaburçak were found.
“A BLADE INSTRUMENT WITH BROKEN ONE OF ITS HOLES”
BŞEÜ Archeology Department Lecturer Assoc. Dr. Erkan Fidan stated that there are two holes on one side and one on the other side of the object, which can be called a flute or a whistle, with a diameter of less than 1 centimeter.
Assoc. Dr. Fidan said, “The wind instrument, which was out of use because one of the holes was broken, was found in a courtyard filling dating back 8,500 years ago. It is also planned to carry out studies on the use of the artifact after the restoration process and trace analysis.”
“IT IS DEFINED AS KAŞGARLI MAHMUT TÜTEK”
Fidan also added, “This musical instrument type, which is also known in the Turkish world, is defined as ‘Tütek’ in Kaşgarlı Mahmud’s work called Divan-ı Lügati’t Türk.”
Fidan stated that they also encountered other human skeletons in the excavation area and that these skeletons will be examined in detail at the Hacettepe University Anthropology Department Laboratory: “In the very near future, we aim to learn a lot about the ages, genders, diseases and foods of these people.”
The finds found in the excavation will be exhibited at the Bilecik Archeology Museum after the restoration and research works are completed. (NTV)
