Yesemek Open Air Museum

The largest known stonemasonry workshop from the ancient Near East, covering a hillside called Aslanli Tepe (Lions Hill) in Gaziantep Province, Turkey. Established by Hittite emperor Suppiluliuma I (r. 1380-1345 BC), the quarry produced monumental sculptures from dolerite stone, with blocks weighing 500 kg to 15 tonnes. Over 300 statues are visible today, depicting sphinxes, lions, winged creatures, mountain god reliefs, and architectural gate elements. The workshop remained active during the neo-Hittite period (9th-8th century BC) under the Kingdom of Sam'al. Systematic excavations by Bahadir Alkim (1958-1961) revealed approximately 200 unfinished statues. On the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2012.