Arslantepe
Turkey · Asia
About
Arslantepe, also known as Melid, was an ancient city on the Tohma River, a tributary of the upper Euphrates rising in the Taurus Mountains. It has been identified with the modern archaeological site of Arslantepe near Malatya, Turkey.
It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name Arslantepe Mound in 2021. As of 2025 it is closed for maintenance.
Değirmentepe, a site located 24 km northeast of Melid, is notable as the location of the earliest secure evidence of copper smelting. The site was built on a small natural outcrop in the flood plain about 40m from the Euphrates River.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.