Medieval Pottery Pieces Discovered in the Ruins of Ani

The ancient capital of Bagratuni Armenia, known as Ani, often referred to as the "City of the World", "Cradle of Civilizations", "City of a Thousand and One Churches", and the "City of Forty Gates", has seen renewed excavation efforts recently. According to ermenihaber.am, excavations at the ruins of Ani commenced on September 23, with the permission of Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The efforts are coordinated by the Kars Museum and the head of the Department of Art History at Caucasus University, Muhammet Arslan. The dig involves a team of archaeologists, architects, and anthropologists.

Arslan stated that the excavation works will be conducted in three phases. So far, medieval pottery samples have been uncovered, and after necessary studies, they may be displayed.

Kars Governor Türker Öksüz mentioned in an interview with reporters that excavations in Ani have been ongoing for 120 years. According to Öksüz, their goal is to further uncover the historical and cultural significance of Ani.

It is noteworthy that the renowned Armenian scholar Nikoghayos Marr conducted excavations in the Ani ruins in 1904, leading to the establishment of a museum with the archaeological finds he discovered, as the city had previously seen little excavation.

Öksüz also reported that in 2017, approximately 60,000 tourists visited Ani, and in 2018, the number rose to 95,000. They hope to see an even larger visitor number this year.

It should be noted that the ruins of Ani were included in UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage Tentative List in 2012 and were officially listed on July 15, 2016.