Ancient City of Tavium - Remains of the Galatian Civilization

The first settlement at the ancient city of Tavium, located in Büyüknefes Village in Yozgat Merkez, began in the 4th millennium BC, according to pottery remains found. Following this period, the settlement expanded and the population increased in the 3rd millennium BC, the Early Bronze Age. Pottery samples found west of Büyükkale (Great Fortress) corroborate this. The cultural layers in Küçükkale (Small Fortress) were removed during the Roman period. Although pottery finds from the Hittite period (2nd millennium BC) are few, they indicate that the settlement continued during this period as well. It is thought that the city's name derives from Tawinija, its name during the Hittite period. The city reached its greatest extent with the arrival of the Galatians, a tribe of Central European origin, in Anatolia in the 1st century BC and the beginning of the Roman period. Layers from this period reach depths of up to 3 meters, and many building materials dating from the 1st to 6th centuries AD have been found. Tavium underwent significant changes, particularly after the 19th century, as readily available cut stones were used as building materials in surrounding villages, and no significant architectural remains are visible on the surface.