Royal Baths Discovered in Anatolia

KONYA, TURKEY—Hurriyet Daily News reports that baths used by the Seljuk sultans 1,000 years ago have been found in Gevele Castle on Takkeli Mountain, located in central Anatolia. The bath water was heated with a furnace and circulated through gaps in the lower part of the bath. “We did not expect to find such a structure,” said Ahmet Çayci of Necmettin Erbakan University. The team also found private rooms that may have been used for washing. Gevele Castle is known for its small mosque, cistern, tunnels, and dungeons. “The castle should have a view terrace and the venues where the sultan was hosted,” Çayci added. “We are continuing to search for it.” To read in-depth about another excavation of a medieval Islamic castle, go to "Expanding the Story."