Halet Çambel, a major figure in Turkish archeology, was born 99 years ago on 27 August 1916 in Berlin.

Halet Çambel founded the first open-air museum in Turkey in Karatepe-Arslantaş Mound known as the place “Hittite hieroglyphs were deciphered” by the science world. In 1946 Çambel visited the remains in Karatepe region with her team to study the Hittite relics in the area between Kayseri and Adana, and discovered that Hittite hieroglyphs and Phoenician writing were used together. After 1952, Halet Çambel conducted the archaeological excavation in Karatepe-Arslantaş Mound initiated by Bossert, and also the Yazılıkaya/Midas ancient city dig in collaboration with French Archeology Institute.

Çambel also represented Turkey in fencing branch, and she and Suat Fetgeri Aşeni were the “First Turkish female athletes to compete in Olympics”.  She was a prominent archeologist both in Turkey and the world who received “Prince Claus Award” in 2005, granted by State of Netherlands to people who contribute to culture and development, and Ministry of Tourism Culture and Arts Grand Prize in 2010.

Halet Çambel who is a notable name in science world, passed away on 12 January 2014.