Meydancıkkale (Kirshu)
Meydancıkkale · Meydancık Kale · Kirshu · Kirsu
Iron Age to Hellenistic (c.800–100 BCE)·Neo-Assyrian → Neo-Babylonian → Achaemenid·🇹🇷 Mersin Province, Rough Cilicia (Taşeli), Turkey
About
About Meydancıkkale (Kirshu)
Isolated hillfort of Kirshu, Babylonian Nabonidus’ mountain stronghold seized in 557 BCE, perched on a sheer limestone spur commanding the Göksu headwaters. The 800 × 500 m fortified town has massive ashlar ramparts, a palace on three terraces with plastered storerooms, underground tunnel (postern) 30 m long, and rock-cut cisterns. Bullae of Artaxerxes-period Persian bullae link to the later Achaemenid garrison. N. Karas excavations revealed iron scale armour, Phoenician ivory and Greek pottery, showing Mediterranean–Mesopotamian mixing on the Taşeli plateau. The pass below is the only wagon road from coast to Konya plain before Rome’s Via Tauri.
Why it mattersOnly confirmed Neo-Babylonian fortress in Rough Cilicia; frontier between Mesopotamia and Mediterranean worlds.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Is Kirshu also Homeric/Kilikian?
- 02Function of 30 m underground tunnel — escape or water?
Theories
- 01Deliberate Babylonian foundation to secure western tin road before Persian conquest
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Fortified c.8th c. BCE, palace 7th–6th c. BCE Babylonian/Persian
- Period
- Iron Age to Hellenistic (c.800–100 BCE)
- Culture
- Neo-Assyrian → Neo-Babylonian → Achaemenid
- Builders
- Neo-Babylonian kings, Persians, local Isaurian chieftains
- Purpose
- Mountain pass capital and garrison
- Abandoned
- c. 100 BCE (abandoned after Seleucid control)
- Rediscovered
- 1973–1997 French–Turkish (Davesne & Yedida) excavations
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
557 BCE
Nabonidus captures Kirshu (Sippar cylinder)
546 BCE
Passes to Persia; garrison reuses palace
1975
French barrow terrace excavations begin
On the ground
Structures & features
36.4381° N · 33.4178° E · 700 m · 2 mapped features
Palace Terraces
palaceThree-step limestone terrace palace with plastered magazines
36.4384° N · 33.4175° ERock-Cut Postern Tunnel
tunnel30 m rock-cut tunnel under rampart
36.4378° N · 33.4180° E
Gallery