8,000-year-old rock paintings discovered in Türkiye’s Latmos Mountains
A newly discovered rock painting in the Latmos (Besparmak) Mountains is believed to be 8,000 years old, Türkiye. (IHA Photo)
Newly discovered rock paintings estimated to be 8,000 years old have been found in the Latmos (Besparmak) Mountains, which stretch between Aydin and Mugla in western Türkiye.
The significant find, located in the Kocarli district, sheds new light on the region’s prehistoric art and its cultural heritage.
A rare discovery in an isolated area
Bahattin Surucu, head of the Association for the Protection of Ecosystem and Nature Lovers (EKODOSD), stated in a written announcement that these paintings were found in a remote area, far from previously known rock art sites.
“These are human figures. Based on our expertise, the figure on the left represents a man, while the one on the right is a woman. However, some parts of the female figure have been slightly damaged due to natural rock breakage,” Surucu explained.
Echoes of past in stone
The first rock paintings in the Latmos Mountains were identified in 1994 when a local beekeeper, Yasar Besparmak, introduced German archaeologist Dr. Anneliese Peschlow to an ancient rock painting in the Karakaya village’s Sogutozu Goktepe area. Since then, hundreds of paintings have been documented and registered.
Surucu recalled that most rock paintings in Latmos were typically found in its core areas, but researchers had previously discovered another artwork in the distant Saglik village. Further studies in the even more remote Madran Mountains led to the discovery of handprint paintings in a rock shelter, which were also registered as cultural heritage.
More secrets await discovery
The newly found rock painting will be submitted for registration to the Aydin Cultural Heritage Preservation Regional Board. Surucu emphasized that these rugged, wild landscapes likely hide many more undiscovered artifacts.
“The harsh terrain, impassable high cliffs, and the need for expertise in recognizing these faint rock engravings make such discoveries extremely challenging. It will take decades of dedicated research to fully uncover what lies hidden among these ancient rocks.”
Surucu also called for a holistic conservation approach, inspired by global best practices, to protect the Latmos Mountains’ unique heritage. He suggested that well-planned ecotourism projects could benefit both the local population and Türkiye’s cultural tourism sector, ensuring that these ancient treasures are preserved while contributing to the economy.
