2015 brought a second Nobel prize to Turkey thanks to scientist Aziz Sancar but it was also a time of farewell for doyen of Turkish literature Yaşar Kemal as well as for masters of television and cinema, Zeki Alasya, Levent Kırca and Memduh Ün. Link

The walls of the Şeytan Deresi Canyon in Mersin are home to some of the most unique reliefs in the world, but a lack of formal protection has resulted in treasure hunters damaging the artwork despite the lack of any valuables in the area. The reliefs, which dates from the second and third centuries B.C., are located in such a difficult location that even mountain goats experience difficulty in accessing them. Link

The construction of a museum and an amphitheater has been finished at a new settlement established for Hasankeyf, which is to be flooded by the Ilısu Dam, a project that NGOs fear will displace thousands and obscure Hasankeyf’s unique ancient history. Link

The Osvank Church, which was built nearly 1,000 years ago in the eastern province of Erzurum, is ready for restoration but still waiting for steps to be taken by Georgian officials before work can begin. The largest church in the region, Osvank was built by the sons of a Georgian king, Bagrat and Davit, in the second half of the 10th century. The church hosts a large number of local and foreign tourists every year. Link

Some drawings, words and shapes carved by people on the renowned Roman Amasra Castle, which is on UNESCO’s temporary world heritage list, have created quite big brouhaha in Turkey’s northern Bartın province.The tower, which dates back to the Genoese era, is one of the most important artifacts of the Black Sea town and was included on UNESCO’s temporary list in 2013. Link

Ruins of a Roman-era bath and a floor mosaic have been discovered while drilling at a third degree archaeological site in the central Anatolian Osmaniye’s district of Kadirli. the museum has initiated works in the field and found the ruins of a bath, which is believed to date back to the Roman era. Next to the ruins were floor mosaics featuring bull, deer and lion motifs. Link1 Link2

The Roman-era rock tombs in the eastern province of Elazığ’s Ağın district will soon be brought to light, according to District Gov. Mehmet Fatih Yakınoğlu, who said the district was not very well known despite its historical touristic features such as the Hastek Fortress, İspir Mansion, rock tombs, mounds, the Sülük and Keban dam lakes and traditional Ağın houses. Link

Fifteen ancient tree species that grew 4,500 years ago in Alacahöyük, one of the most important centers of the Hittite civilization will be planted in order to create a “Hittite Forest” in the central Anatolian province of Çorum. Link

Striving not to simply conserve artifacts for future posterity, the ‘Living Museum’ in Beypazarı aims to bequeath the intangible to future generations as well with its innovative museum methods. A pioneer in the country, the museum exhibits traditional life in a setting of authentic Turkish houses built in the style of a century ago, the late-Ottoman and early-republican eras. Link

The most important finding during excavations in the ancient city of Metropolis, which have concluded for the year, is a cult area built for the god Zeus from ancient Helen mythology. The excavations also revealed that the main god Zeus was mentioned with the title “Krezimos” in the ancient city of Metropolis for the first time anywhere in the world. Link