Turkey Archaeology

Turkey Archaeology

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According to smber, relevant discoveries have been made concerning all periods of Anatolian archeology. As regards the lower Paleolithic, the cave of Yarımburgaz, 20 km west of Istanbul, should be mentioned in particular; moreover in 1985 the excavations of Karain near Antalya were resumed, where the levels of the Middle Paleolithic are still investigated. The Upper Paleolithic is studied in nearby Öküzini. For the Aceramic Neolithic, large houses on stone foundations, with areas of worship and deposits of skulls, in the northern area of ​​the Tigris in Çayönü, date back to 7500 BC. Houses of the same type were in Nevalı ÇCori, east of the Euphrates; a large cult building with stone benches and a terraced floor had sculptures of birds and human-bird hybrids, as well as carved steles with human figures and capitals. To Hallan Çemi Tepesi, ş ıklı Höyük near Aksaray uncovered a well-developed village of mud-brick houses, with obsidian tools and occasional evidence of local copper.

For the Halaf period, tholoi and pottery was unearthed in Çavi Tarlası, east of the Euphrates. A settlement from the Ubaid period has been found in Değirmentepe, northeast of Malatya, with metalworking workshops, seals and seal impressions. Late Uruk settlements existed along the Turkish Euphrates, e.g. the Hassek Hüyük complex. Samsat features cone mosaics and other remains from the same era. The relationships with the Eastern-Transcaucasian Anatolian culture are evident in Arslantepe-Malatya, where the VI A period has strong affinities with the late Uruk, while the VI B reveals eastern Anatolian traits. Ilıpınar to the west of Lake Iznik features Neolithic and Chalcolithic wood and ceramic architecture with European affinities. Interconnections between sites in northwestern Anatolia and Thrace (Hoca Çe ş me). New research is underway for the Neolithic phase of Çatal Hüyük. In Cilicia, new excavations of the Neolithic level have begun in Mersin-Yumuktepe. In the 3rd millennium BC Ikiztepe near Bafra shows a strong Pontic tradition in wooden architecture and arsenical copper metallurgy. A 3rd millennium BC tin mine has been investigated in Kestel-Göltepe. A small fortified settlement in the west is Demircihüyük. In the Early Bronze Age Aphrodisias was a small town. Excavations in Troia resumed in 1988. A citadel from the Troy I period has been found in Limantepe-Klazomenai.

New evidence of the ancient Hittite period comes from Kültepe, thanks to excavations in the karum and in the palaces inside the citadel. In Boğazköy-Hattusha P. Neve explored the temples of the upper city. More than thirty buildings of this type have recently been discovered: sculptures have come to light in temples II, III, near the V (relief of Tuthaliya) and in the vaulted chamber of Suppiluliuma ii, in the southern citadel. An archive of around 3,300 bullae with royal and official seals was found in the western building near Niçsantepe. The Hittite hieroglyphic inscriptions of Suppiluliuma iihave been deciphered. The Yerkapı fortification system has been restored. A bronze tablet with the text of a treatise with Kurunta of Tarhuntassa was found west of the inner gate of the Sphinx. New publications concern the citadel, Hittite relief pottery and seals. From Lidar on the Euphrates comes the Hittite seal of Kuzi-tešub, king of Carchemish. Hittite tablets were recently discovered in Ortaköy, northwest of Boǧazköy, and in Ku ş aklı, south of Sivas. At Kaçs on the Lycian coast, the remains of a 14th century ship with a cargo of copper, tin and various Aegean, Cypriot, Oriental and Egyptian artifacts have been found. In the ancient coastal settlement of Panaztepe south of Phocaea the coexistence of local Western Anatolians and Aegean-Mycenaeans has been proven in the 2nd millennium BC.

Iron Age studies progressed with the reconstruction of Phrygian furniture from Gordion. Phrygian housing levels have been excavated in Kaman-Kelehöyük, west of Kir ş ehir. A rich Phrygian mound tomb, containing abundant silver pottery, has been excavated at Bayindir on the Elmali plain. Sardi’s Lydian phase is coming to light with a heavy mud brick fortification wall, monumental terraces and inventory of houses. A new excavation at Daskyleion promises to provide archaeological evidence of its history in the Phrygian, Lydian and Persian (satrapic) periods. Ephesus made other votive objects from the ancient period in the Artemision area ; houses from the Hellenistic-Roman period have been restored in the city. New excavations at Klaros have revealed the history and stratigraphy of the sanctuary of Apollo and Artemis. Klazomenai is also now better known in its settlement patterns over the centuries of peace and war. A terrace with archaic sphinxes has been excavated at Didyma along the sacred road. In Pergamum an area for dwellings from the medieval to the Hellenistic level was explored. Restorations are underway in the essential lines of the Traianeum. In Aphrodisias, sculptural and architectural discoveries are recorded every year, with the Sebasteion as the main monument. In Iaso the excavations of the agora continue in breadth and depth. In many classical locations, restoration and anastylosis works are in progress, eg. in the theaters of Hierapolis, Perge and Side. In 1983, the Ankara Theater was discovered. In Lycia, excavations continue at the sanctuary of Latona. Work began in Patara and important monuments have come to light in Limyra. Arykanda’s architectural details have been clarified and extensive excavations have begun at Sagalassos in Pisidia.

Turkey Archaeology