World’s earliest toy car and title deed on show at Mardin Museum

The world’s earliest toy car (L) and title deed, unearthed at excavation sites in Mardin’s Kızıltepe district, are on display at the Mardin Museum. (Photo: Cihan)
TODAY’S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
The world’s earliest toy car and title deed which were unearthed several months ago during excavations in the Kızıltepe district of the southeastern province of Mardin, are now on display at the Mardin Museum, the Cihan news agency reported Tuesday.
Archaeologist Mesut Alp said that the toy car, which is made out of stone, dates back to the late Stone Age and is thought to be 7,500 years old.

The Culture and Tourism Director of Mardin, Davut Beliktay, said that the car is like a copy of cars today, adding that in its shape, the ancient toy also resembles a tractor. Beliktay also revealed that toy dolls and whistles, also made of stone, were found at sites in the area, “we believe that the whistles and dolls are 5,000 to 6,000 years old. The whistles are still in working condition,” he said.

The second new relic on show at the museum is an ancient stone tablet inscribed with writing. Following exhaustive historical analysis, the writing on the 5 centimeter stone — which was uncovered at an excavation site at the Gırnavas Mound, 4km from the historic district of Nusaybin — was deemed to be the content of an ancient title deed.

Beliktay said that the writing on the historic tablet had managed to remain intact over the years because of excellent preservation techniques. The script, he explained, had been scraped on to the clayish surface with a nail and then the tablet had been placed in a burner.

Archaeologist Alp explained that the title deed is 2,800 years old and pertains to the selling of a garden. The content of the deed he added refers to a fruit garden, and the fruit trees within, which are to be split between the three sons of the owner. The deed refers to “Nabulu” which Alp explained was in fact the old name of current Nusaybin. Beliktay has confirmed that comprehensive information on the two finds will be provided
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