Ancient Water Systems, Settlements Unearthed Across Türkiye, Albania, Azerbaijan

Recent archaeological discoveries across Europe and Anatolia reveal sophisticated ancient settlements and engineering feats. On the shores of Lake Ohrid in Albania, archaeologists uncovered an 8,000-year-old lakeside settlement with preserved wooden stilts, domesticated animal bones, and copper artifacts, shedding light on early organized hunting, farming, and agriculture spread in Europe. In southeastern Türkiye, excavations at Zerzevan Castle, a Roman military site, revealed a remarkable 1,800-year-old water distribution system featuring 63 cisterns and aqueducts that once supplied the fortress, highlighting advanced Roman engineering. Nearby, the 12,000-year-old Neolithic Cayonu Mound in Diyarbakir's Ergani district yielded four grid-planned buildings and a Bronze Age water channel, providing insights into early urban organization and water management. Additionally, a Bronze Age settlement was uncovered in southern Azerbaijan, revealing well-developed pottery, textile production, and animal husbandry. These findings collectively deepen understanding of ancient human ingenuity in settlement construction, water management, and economic practices across the region.