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Japanese archaeologists working with Turkish teams have brought three students to the Uc Hoyuk (Mound) excavation in Bolvadin, Afyonkarahisar, joining a project that aims to locate the lost city of Purushanda while giving young scholars hands-on field experience.
The dig, which began to run with increased official backing last year, has been carried on for two years under a presidential decision and was recently folded into the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s Heritage for the Future project.
The delegation from Rikkyo University in Japan—led by Professor Satoshi Urano and Professor Yukinori Fukatsu—brought two female students and one male student to work alongside Turkish archaeologists and local university teams.
With support from Selcuk University rectorate, the provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the Bolvadin district governor’s office and the municipality, the combined teams are sorting and assessing finds uncovered at the site.
Excavation director Professor Ozdemir Kocak said the arrival of the Japanese team had given the project new momentum and that teams had recently started sondaj (test-trench) work in selected areas.
He explained that the wider aim is to develop Uc Hoyuk into an internationally recognized archaeological site, and he noted that the Japanese specialists had quickly bonded with Turkish students and were helping the dig move forward.
Professor Satoshi Urano highlighted the training role of the visit: "My students are studying in the history department. Our work focuses on the ancient history of Türkiye and the Mediterranean region. The students who came this year had no excavation experience in Japan. My students are gaining experience here."
Two students spoke about what the season meant to them. Rei Uchiyama said the fieldwork had been a very good experience and that she had formed new friendships with colleagues on site. Koharu Egawa added that, despite the heat at the dig, she was glad to have gained practical excavation skills.
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