Archaeologists have unearthed traces of a permanent settlement believed to date back at least 9,300 years during the latest excavations at Sırçalıtepe Mound in the central Niğde province of Türkiye, the head of the dig site told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Friday.

"We can say that this is the oldest settlement within the borders of Niğde province," said archaeologist Semra Balcı, who is leading the excavation team at Sırçalıtepe Mound.

Balcı, of Istanbul University, said her team had found bone and obsidian tools used in daily life, along with beads and other objects thought to be for ornamental purposes.

She added that the two samples they found had been radiocarbon dated, revealing they were 9,600-9,300 years old.

Initial surface surveys conducted at Sırçalıtepe Mound, located near sources of obsidian in the volcanic Cappadocia region, uncovered an obsidian working area, as well as the bone and stone tools.

With this year's dig season over, Balcı said she and her team would continue to analyze their findings in artifacts and new architectural field data in their workshops.

Noting that the dig also yielded specimens of oval arrowheads, she said: "Another important point is that no other site has so far been excavated with an obsidian working area and settlement together."