Çukuriçi Höyük

Çukuriçi Höyük is an archaeological site near Ephesus with remains from several settlement layers spanning different periods. Excavations have uncovered stone walls, pottery fragments, and metalworking workshops that show how people lived and worked here.

This site was first settled around 6700 BC and then experienced long gaps when people abandoned it. A second phase of occupation began in the late Bronze Age when new communities returned and resettled the location.

Excavations show how people here worked with copper and traded goods, revealing economic connections between distant ancient regions. These activities shape our understanding of how early communities linked with each other across vast distances.

The site is best understood from higher vantage points where you can see the different layers stacked like exposed floors. It helps to walk slowly through the area to follow the excavated structures and understand the different stages of digging.

The location was a meeting point between two different cultures from Anatolia and the Aegean, making it especially valuable for understanding early human movement. This position allowed ideas and techniques to flow between east and west.