Bronze Shields and Helmet Uncovered in Urartian Citadel

VAN, TURKEY—Newsweek reports that three well-preserved bronze shields and a helmet were discovered at Ayanis, a 2,700-year-old Urartian citadel on a hill overlooking Lake Van in eastern Turkey, by Mehmet Işıklı of Atatürk University. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, said that the artifacts were found in a ceremonial room in a monumental temple complex dedicated to Haldi, the Urartian warrior god. “We believe the helmet we found was used in ceremonies due to its detailed and intricate decorations,” Işıklı added. In all, more than 30 shields have been recovered at the site. “These shields likely belonged to the royal family or an elite warrior group, as Urartians were known to gift such items to nobility,” he added. Although he was primarily associated with warfare, Haldi was also linked to affluence, abundance, agriculture, and animal husbandry. “The god Haldi plays a central role in the Urartian belief system, and these shields, many of which were found near temple sites, were likely offerings or ceremonial gifts,” he explained. Damage at the site indicates that it was abandoned after an earthquake. To read about likely Urartian soldiers who sacked and looted an Iron Age hillfort in northwest Iran, go to "The Price of Plunder."