A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Deep underground in the central Anatolian province of Nevsehir, the contours of an ancient city are taking shape, two years after it was discovered by accident.
The tip of the vast labyrinthine network was first discovered by Turkish builders in 2012. Now, experts say it is likely to be the largest and most complex underground city in the world.
Geo-radiation scanning suggests the multilevel settlement is the size of about 65 football pitches, and is likely to include living spaces, kitchens, wineries, chapels, and staircases
The scale of the city shows a level of architectural complexity that puts other ancient sites in the region to shame,' reports The Telegraph.
"This new discovery will be added as a new pearl, a new diamond, a new gold" to a region replete with treasures, the mayor of nearby Nevsehir, Hasan Unver, told National Geographic.
Rock-carved church at Güreme, near Nevşehir, Turkey.
Occupying a part of the ancient region of Cappadocia, the area is rich in several historical sites, mainly the rock-carved churches and monasteries at Oratayzai (Güreme), east of Nevsehir city; several of those sites collectively were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985.
See also:
Highly Sophisticated Underground City Of Derinkuyu – Who Were The Master Builders?
Ancient Superhighways: 12,000-Year-Old Massive Underground Tunnels From Scotland To Turkey
11 Mysterious Ancient Underground Worlds That Remain Unsolved To This Day
Early estimates suggest that the city could be one-third larger than Derinkuyu, a nearby underground city that was only discovered in 1936, after a local resident found a secret passageway inside his house, leading into the city's tunnel network.
Archaeologists believe the city was home to an agricultural community that lived 5,000 years ago.
The discovery is all the more remarkable for the manner in which it occurred. The accidental archaeologists were a team of builders, carrying out a government edict to demolish hundreds of buildings in the area as part of an urban renewal project.
The city was discovered under Nevsehir fortress neighborhood while moving the debris of houses to begin the construction of new houses as part of an urban transformation project Photo: Anadoulu/Getty
According to Turkish media, the workers stumbled across the labyrinthine network while shifting piles of earth back in 2012. The cleaning process began in March of last year, and local officials say the site will eventually be opener to visitors.
The rocky landscape of Turkey's ancient Cappadocia region is home to dozens of underground cities that were once hand-carved from volcanic ash by their ancient inhabitants.
Written by – A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer
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