A group of female villagers, armed with basic archaeological training, is making significant contributions to the ongoing excavation efforts at the Asarcık hill site in the southwestern province of Muğla’s Kavaklıdere district.

The project, spearheaded by associate professor Bekir Özer from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, provides evidence suggesting a settlement in the region dating back 4,000 years.

Since the project’s launch in May 2022, researchers have uncovered an array of artifacts spanning various historical periods, including the Middle Bronze Age, the Hittite Civilization and the Anatolian Seljuk period.

The dig is not solely the work of professional archaeologists but also of around 60 local women hailing from nearby villages, who receive salaries and social support from the Kavaklıdere Municipality.

Huriye Gezgin, one of the women participating in the excavation, recounted her motivation for joining the project, saying, “I started working because my house was very close to the excavation area. It is a very exciting and fun job. I learn by studying who and how lived in my village throughout history.”

Tülay Cambaz, a 32-year-old resident of Derebağ village near the hill, expressed her enthusiasm for the discoveries made during the dig. “Every new thing we find about the past gives us great excitement. When our professors who guide us say that the find dates back to 2,000 years ago, I go back to that date as well,” she said.