Archaeologists have frequently discovered intentionally made holes in burial vessels from ancient Anatolia. Such containers appear both in graves containing cremated remains and in those where the body was interred intact. Researcher Ayşegül Erden Güney has examined the potential purpose of these holes, concluding that their function may have varied depending on the type of burial rite.
Source: Duru (2006), via Erden Güney, Arkeoloji Dergisi (2026)
The study was published in 2026 in the journal Arkeoloji Dergisi. The author compared archaeological finds from Anatolia and neighboring regions with ancient written accounts regarding human perceptions of death. As reported by Arkeonews, the research involves an analysis of previously documented material rather than new excavations.
Some of the earliest examples come from Gedikli-Karahöyük in southeastern modern-day Turkey and date back to the Early Bronze Age. At this site, standard ceramic vessels—sometimes already damaged—were used to store cremated remains, with holes punched into their walls or bases. Similar vessels were later found at Ilıca and Boğazköy-Osmankayası, as well as at Troy and other archaeological sites.
Regarding burials where the body was interred, the researcher suggests that the holes may have served as a means to provide food and water to the deceased. In ancient Mesopotamia, rituals involving offerings to the spirits of ancestors were practiced, and at certain sites, pipes leading directly into burial chambers have been uncovered. Ancient written sources also make reference to water and other beverages intended for the dead. However, it is impossible to prove that every opening in a vessel was used specifically for offerings.
The author proposes a different interpretation for cinerary urns—specifically those found at Urartian sites such as Ayanis, Van-Altıntepe, and Dilkaya. In these instances, the opening may have served as a passageway for the soul following the cremation of the body. This hypothesis takes into account the specific concepts surrounding cremation in ancient societies, including Hittite funerary traditions. That said, no primary texts have survived that explain the purpose of the openings in these particular Urartian urns.
Comparisons with ancient Egyptian and Central European burials indicate that similar openings could have appeared for various reasons. Another possibility is that they served to ritually remove an object from everyday use. The researcher does not view the term “opening for the soul” as a universal explanation, emphasizing instead the need to examine the circumstances of each individual burial.
About the Author
