2,700-Year-Old Bronze Shields and Helmet Dedicated to Chief God Haldi

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Reported by Ancient Origins:

Three bronze shields and a ceremonial bronze helmet, dedicated to Haldi, the chief god of the Urartians, were recently discovered during excavations at the historical Ayanis Castle in Van province, eastern Türkiye. Dated to 2,700 years ago, the shields and helmet were found at a depth of 6 to 7 meters (20-23 feet) beneath the floor of a room, protected by the collapse of the mudbrick walls caused by the ancient earthquake that devastated the castle. The placement allowed for a good state of preservation, albeit suffering minor fractures.

The announcement was made by Türkiye's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, via his official social media account on X. Since 1989, archaeological excavations have been ongoing at the site, making Ayanis Castle the last major Urartian fortress to be explored.

Initially, the digs were led by Prof. Dr. Altan Çilingiroğlu under Ege University's "Van Project" until 2012.

In 2013, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Işıklı of Atatürk University took over leadership of the excavations. In recent years, the focus has been on uncovering the structures connected to the Haldi Temple within the citadel, reports Arkeonews.

Ayanis Castle, perched on a rocky hill near the village of Ağartı (historically known as "Ayanis") along the eastern shores of Lake Van, lies 38 kilometers from Tuşpa, the ancient Urartian capital.

This fortress, renowned for housing one of the best-preserved temples dedicated to the god Haldi, was constructed in the mid-7th century BC by Rusa II, the last great king of Urartu. Historical records reveal that the fortress was devastated by a powerful earthquake and subsequent fires just 20 to 25 years after its completion.

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