ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A joint team of Turkish and U.S. archeologists will start excavating an ancient Hittite city in southeastern Turkey next month, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday.

The excavation of Zincirli Tumulus city, which is located in Islahiye town of Gaziantep province, will begin on Sept. 1 and David Schloen, Associate Professor of Chicago University, will head the team, said the report.

The excavation will last about 10 years and the archeologists will work for two and a half months every year to bring the artifacts in Zincirli Tumulus to daylight, Anatolia reported.

Mehmet Onal, Deputy Director of Gaziantep Museum, was quoted by Anatolia as saying that the ancient city of Zincirli Tumulus was an important settlement during the late Hittite period.

"Artifacts, expected to be found during the excavation, will contribute to cultural tourism," said Onal.

Zincirli Tumulus is one of the kingdoms established by the Hittites in southeastern Anatolia and northern Syria after the Hittite Empire collapsed in 1,200 B.C.