This website provides a comprehensive catalogue of settlement sites in the western part of the modern Republic of Türkiye dating from the period between 2000 and 1000 BCE. This open-access database has been developed using advanced data standards and is intended for both scholars and the general public. The database was originally based on 334 sites compiled by archaeologist Serdal Mutlu. It has since been expanded to 483 known Middle and Late Bronze Age sites by Dr. Alper Aşınmaz, a geospatial and data science expert.
Each entry in the catalogue provides specific details, including site names, toponyms, descriptions, and references to key literature. This allows users to delve into the historical context of each location.
By means of structured and machine-readable formatting, the data in the Luwian Studies catalogue is now accessible to a global audience.
Transitioning from a static list to a dynamic relational database, the catalogue now offers powerful search options, real-time updates, and data integration with other platforms.
The use of semantic web technologies means that this database is linked to external resources such as Pleiades (a directory of archaeological sites), Wikidata and Dbpedia. These cross-references expand the research potential and enable a more comprehensive understanding of the sites.
The database is compatible with CSV and JSON for download, making it easy to conduct custom analysis or integrate the data into other research projects.
The new database is hosted as an open-source platform on the foundation’s WordPress site. This ensures long-term preservation of the data and enables ongoing updates and expansions without the need for extensive restructuring.
Users can explore these ancient sites via an interactive map that marks each location for easy navigation. This feature enhances the geographical context and allows users to visually interpret the spatial distribution of the settlements in western Anatolia.
This catalogue represents a significant advance in making the history of Bronze Age settlements in western Anatolia more accessible and linking it to broader archaeological data sets. The Luwian Studies Foundation hopes that this resource will foster further scientific research as well as broader public interest in this historically significant region. By integrating it into modern digital databases, research into Luwian culture will be further advanced and its place in the Bronze Age re-evaluated.