The Derinkuyu Underground City dates back to prehistoric times when Phrygians of Helleno–Pelasgic origin and was thought to be built by Phrygians to protect themselves from the Arab- Byzantine Wars in from 1-2 AD. It also kept people safe from the 14th-century invasion of Mongols led by Timur. The Cappadocian Greek used the underground city to save themselves during the Ottoman regime.
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It is reputed that the Derinkuyu Underground City was a part of a larger intricate. It runs more than 60m down in the ground and has 18 stories. This makes it the deepest one in the world. It is a maze of tunnels some of which are more than 180 feet long. It has heavy circular doors made of stone with a hole in the middle used to keep a watch at intruders. They could also shoot arrows or spears from this hole.
It was probably used as a bunker during any type of natural disasters or invasions. The doors were designed in a way that they could seal separate levels. The passages were so narrow that the invaders had to come in a single pile.
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Some scholars theorize that the Hittites started construction on these underground cities in 15th century BC. The Anatolian Hittites are mentioned in the Bible and they had a good control over a large portion of Asia Minor. This portion extended from the Black Sea to the Levant.
These cities gave them protection from the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Thracians. Thracians had destroyed their main city of Hattusa and artifacts related to Hittites were found in the Derinkuyu Underground City, which was used as a shelter.
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It is said in the Zoroastrian book Avesta, that great and mythical Persian king Yima created underground cities for housing herd, men, and flocks. Hence some are of the opinion that ancient Persians created the Derinkuyu and with Avesta dating back to the founding of Zoroastrian in 1500-1200 BC, this claim has found support.
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Phrygians architects are considered to be the best in the world in the Iron age and they are credited by archeologists for building this complexes. Phrygians controlled the area until roughly the 6th century BC after they sacked it in 1180 BC. Phrygians have built the great citadel of Gordion (950-800 BC) and as the experts placed the time of construction of the Derinkuyu underground city from 10th-7th centuries BC.
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