Seyitömer Mound is a settlement hill located 24 km northwest of Kütahya, containing archaeological layers from the Early Bronze Age to the Roman period, and is currently an active excavation site.
Seyitömer Mound is an oval settlement hill rising right next to the old Seyitömer town, approximately 24-25 km northwest of Kütahya city center as the crow flies. It has a diameter of 150x140 meters and is about 23-24 meters high. The 12 million-ton lignite coal reserve beneath the mound explains why it is still an excavation site today: to extract the coal, the historical layers above it first needed to be documented.
Excavations began in 1989, were paused for a while, and have been ongoing again since 2006 by the Dumlupınar University Archaeology Department. The lowest layer in the mound dates back to the Early Bronze Age. A settlement established by the river, surrounded by walls, produced pottery using molds rather than by hand, becoming one of the region's pottery centers. During the Hittite period, the walls were rebuilt, and horseshoe-shaped hearth structures and workshop remains for ironworking were found inside. In the Phrygian period, the mound was again surrounded by thick walls, a long staircase was added to the northern slope, and a large stepped terraced structure was added to the west. Classical and Hellenistic period structures have been fully uncovered on the upper plateau of the mound; in the Roman period, foundation traces indicate a temple stood at the summit.
The inhabitants of Seyitömer engaged in hunting, agriculture, small animal husbandry, weaving, pottery, and metalworking for thousands of years. Agricultural remains such as poppy and chickpea seeds were also found during excavations, providing a concrete idea of the settlement's daily life. The mound is still an active excavation site. A visit is less a classic archaeological site tour and more an experience of seeing how archaeology progresses in the field.
Related discoveries: Historical Places, Kütahya historical places, Poet Şeyhi (Hekim Sinan) Tomb.
Guide's Note
When to Visit
Since the mound is an open-air, unprotected area, it's wise to avoid midday during summer heat. Spring and autumn are more suitable, both in terms of weather conditions and the likelihood of excavation teams being on site. The excavation season generally coincides with the summer months, so if you go then, you might have a chance to see the work up close; however, access to some areas might be restricted in this case.
How to Get There
From Kütahya city center, it takes 25-30 minutes by private car to Seyitömer. Public transport options are limited, so your own car or a taxi is the most practical method. Along the way, you might see thermal power plant facilities; the mound is located very close to this industrial area, northwest of the old Seyitömer town.
How Much Time to Allocate
The mound itself is not a large area; 45 minutes to 1 hour is sufficient. It can be added to the same day as other stops in Kütahya (Kütahya Castle, Tile Museum, Ulu Mosque) and does not require a full day on its own.
Suggested Itinerary
Include Seyitömer Mound in your Kütahya city center tour. Visiting the Kütahya Museum and Tile Museum in the city center in the morning and then heading to the mound in the afternoon is a logical sequence, allowing you to see the excavated artifacts in the museum and experience the excavation site firsthand. Some of the finds exhibited in the museum came directly from this mound.
Things to Note
Since the mound is an active excavation site, do not expect a structured archaeological site with signs and barriers. The ground is uneven, so pay attention to your shoe choice. During periods when the excavation team is working, access to some sections may be restricted; in such cases, it is necessary to follow the guidance of the on-site personnel.
Photo Spots
From the top of the mound, the view of the surrounding plain and the thermal power plant offers a wide frame. The superimposed city walls from different periods provide an interesting compositional opportunity for those interested in archaeology. Afternoon hours can be preferred for lighting, as they bring out the stone textures more clearly.
About the Mound's Layers
What makes Seyitömer special is that it doesn't belong to a single period. Successive settlements from the Early Bronze Age to the Roman period were built one on top of the other on the same hill. Hittite period ironworking workshops, Phrygian period staircase structures and terraced walls, and Classical-Hellenistic period stone dwellings are found together. This makes the mound one of the rare places where you can read thousands of years of Anatolian settlement history in a single spot.
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