Uşakl Höyük is an archaeological site in north-central Turkey. The University of Pisa-led international team of archaeologists has discovered a mystery circle-shaped construction from the Hittite period right here, in the center of the Anatolian plateau. The discovery, together with information from earlier excavation projects, may help establish that the location is in fact the once-holy city of Zippalanda. According to Professor Anacleto D'Agostino of the University of Pisa, who oversees the excavations, "The interpretation of this circular construction is quite difficult at the present, and it will be essential to prolong the work that enables us to obtain a sense of what is surrounding it." The significant discovery was made as part of the University of Pisa-led international archaeological mission's 2022 campaign. An extensive Iron Age stepped wall and numerous graves from the Late Antique period have also been uncovered thanks to the current campaign. The uniformity and quality of the architectures and materials unearthed during the excavations, in addition to strengthening the link between Uşakl Hoyük and the holy city of Ziziplanda, demonstrate that this site has been continuously populated from the end of the Early Bronze Age through the Roman-Byzantine period, with occasional evidence extending to the Ottoman period.
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