Ancient site of Türkiye's Kultepe offers clues to climate adaptation 4,200 years ago

Crucial for world history to understand how societies in big cities adapted to climate change 4,200 years ago, says prominent US professor

Türkiye's rich archaeological landscape holds critical clues to how past civilizations responded to climate challenges. Harvey Weiss, a prominent professor of Near Eastern Archaeology at Yale University in the US, is leading a ground-breaking study at the ancient site of Kultepe, near central Kayseri, to explore the adaptive strategies of ancient societies in the face of environmental shifts. Located 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) northeast of Kayseri, Kultepe is a vast archaeological site spanning 300 hectares (741 acres). The excavations, led by Fikri Kulakoglu from Ankara University, have brought to light significant evidence about how the region’s inhabitants lived and adapted thousands of years ago. Weiss, renowned for his research on the Akkadian Empire's collapse from severe drought, has joined the excavation team to delve into the ancient society's response to climate change. The research aims to find "the way in which Kultepe and its society adapted to abrupt climate change 4,200 years ago," he said. It is very important for the history of the world, the Near East, and Türkiye to understand how societies in big cities, such as Kultepe, adapted to the significant climate change 4,200 years ago, said Weiss. Weiss’ research revealed that 4,200 years ago, large structures were reduced to ashes, only to be replaced by smaller, more modest dwellings. The transformation, Weiss believes, was likely driven by climatic changes that forced inhabitants to rethink their living conditions and agricultural practices. At the end of the research, "we would be able to analyze seeds collected from the floors of buildings. The analyzed seeds provide dates and rainfall conditions at the time those plants were growing," said Weiss. The analysis is also expected to shed light on the resilience of Kultepe’s inhabitants and their ability to adapt to environmental pressures, he noted. The work at Kultepe also draws parallels with his previous studies in Syria and Iraq near the Turkish border, where he revealed climate events significantly affected the Akkadian Empire. The empire, which controlled vast agricultural territories, including parts of central Anatolia, relied heavily on consistent rainfall for survival. “Abrupt climate change reduced the rainfall for rain-fed agriculture and affected Mesopotamia and Türkiye (Anatolia),” he noted. As Weiss continues to uncover the secrets of Kultepe, he emphasized its importance in understanding not only the history of the region but also of Türkiye. "When I came to Kultepe, I immediately understood that you can’t understand the history of Türkiye (Anatolia) without understanding the history of Kultepe," he said.