A team of archaeologists from the Asia Minor Research Centre, spearheaded by Prof. Dr. Michael Blömer and Prof. Dr. Engelbert Winter of the University of Münster, has uncovered over 2,000 seal impressions in the ancient city of Doliche, located in present-day Gaziantep, Turkey.

Two seal impressions unearthed in ancient Doliche. Credit: Asia Minor Research Center

Doliche is known for its religious significance ᴀssociated with various beliefs, including Teşup, Mithraism, and Jupiter Dolikhenos. The city, established as a Hellenistic colony in the 2nd century BCE and later annexed by the Roman Empire in CE 72, has been the focus of extensive archaeological research. Previous excavations revealed remnants of a Mithraic temple, rock-cut graves, and a stele featuring an enigmatic Iron Age deity.

The recent findings, consisting of over 2,000 seal impressions, provide unique information about the city’s administrative and religious life. Stamped clay lumps, ranging from 5 millimeters to 2 centimeters in size, were used to seal documents stored in the city’s municipal archive. Professor Michael Blömer emphasized the significance of these seals, stating, “The images of the official city seals have a direct urban connection. They usually show their most important deities, such as Jupiter Dolichenus, the main god of the city.”

Jupiter Dolichenus, revered between the mid-second and mid-third centuries CE in the Roman military, gained popularity as the “deity of the Commagenians.” The smaller private seals revealed a diverse array of images and symbols, illustrating the profound influence of religion on the lives of the people of Doliche. Professor Blömer noted, “The gods on the seals provide insights into people’s religious environment. Mythical figures or rare private portraits indicate a strong Greco-Roman influence.”

The seals were discovered in the lower foundations of a multi-story archive building constructed from solid limestone blocks, measuring 8 x 25 meters. While each Roman city had archives designated for contract storage, only a few archive structures from the Roman Empire have been identified thus far.

Unfortunately, the researchers reveal a tragic fate for the archive documents themselves, destroyed in a major fire, likely around CE 253, during the conflict between the Roman and Persian empires led by Persian king Šāpūr I.

The Asia Minor Research Centre, known for its specialization in southeastern Türkiye, has been a key player in international archaeological research. The funding for this year’s work was predominantly provided by the University of Münster, the Gerda Henkel Foundation, and the University of Pisa.