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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Acemhöyük |
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For site maps and drawings please click on the picture...  |
For photographs please click on the photo...  |
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Type:
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Mound |
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Altitude:
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953 m |
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Region:
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Central Anatolia |
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Province:
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Aksaray |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Yesilova |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Late Iron Age |
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| Location: It is located within the territory of the Yesilova District; 18 km northwest of the Aksaray Province. It is easily accessible through the Aksaray-Yesilova motorway. |
| Geography and Environment: It looks like a flat hill from a far distance. It is reported to measure ca. 800x700 m in dimensions according to the distribution of the pottery. The size of the EBA settlement couldn't be verified by the researchers. Almost completely obscured by the modern Yesilova houses; it has been saved from the possible damages after the excavation was started. The Melendiz Stream (Uluirmak) originating from the Melendiz Mountain; used to pass by the hill to spill into the Lake Tuz. Today; it disappears in the plain before reaching the lake as it is used for irrigation purposes. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was excavated by N. Özgüç of Faculty of Language; History and Geography; University of Ankara between 1962 and 1988. The excavation was taken over by A. Öztan from the same faculty in 1989; and it still continues. The recent excavations are focused on Assyrian Colony Period. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: The site had been inhabited from the EBA to the Roman Period. Among others; the settlement of Assyrian Colony Period dating from the first quarter of the second millennium BC is particularly significant with its famous palaces and finds. Because the excavations were targeted revealing the settlements of the second millennium BC; the deeper levels were not excavated extensively. The EBA levels were only reached through a deeper sounding on the east of the mound. The building levels VIII-X uncovered in the trench S are dated to the EBA II-III periods. Depending on the surface finds of the first settlement; it is claimed the first occupation started during the Last Chalcolithic Age [Yakar 1985:199]. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: Acemhöyük was resettled in Late IA after being abandoned for a long time in Assyrian Trade Colonial Period. During the excavations carried out in the plan squares of UA/34-39 on the east of Service Building, potsherds which most of them covered with a thick layer of salt belonging to the different periods have been encountered in the cultural deposit at the depth of 40 cm. In the same level with this mixed deposit, a compressed earth floor, which is not bordered walls, is preserved in patches in some sections of the plan square of UA/35. Based on the hearth at the west edge of the floor and potsherds found around, it is dated to Late IA. A single handled jar, which is intact except a few sherds found on the floor, belongs to the same period. This floor has been damaged by a garbage pit which extends towards the west of the trench. This pit belongs to the same period as well based on the potsherds and the almost complete vessel. A head of piglet was placed inside of the single handled miniature vase. No finds belonging to this period were encountered in other trenches [Öztan 2013:394-395]. The 2013 excavations were carried out in two areas. One of these areas is located to the south of Sarikaya Palace and the other one is situated on the southern slope of the mound. During the studies conducted in the south section of Sarikaya Palace, remains of walls belonging to IA and architectural remains and small finds dated to the building level II and IV of Assyrian Trade Colonies were exposed. In this area, remains of the building level, one of which belongs to IA and the other one to Hellenistic Period, were found. The corner of a room was exposed in the northeast of the area. The foundation of the room is built with the stones of Sarikaya Palace and these stone were placed as a single row. Only a row of mudbrick wall located on top of this foundation is preserved. A hearth adjacent tġ the east wall of the room was found. A few potsherds found in this area and the sherds placed on the floor of the hearth are dated to Early IA. During the studies carried out in the western slope of the mound, the upper section of the oven (discovered in 2012) was exposed under the rubbles of the village houses. The oven is in oval-like plan. Its outer wall was built with thin mudbrick blocks that were vertically placed. This wall is about 20 cm in height. The thick block of mud in the center of the oven should have been made to support the roof. There are 10 ventilation holes on the flat ceiling of the oven. Its mouth facing to the east measures 40 cm in width. The mouth of the oven was built with monoblock mudbricks as well. Baked and semi-baked sherds found inside the oven and in front of its mouth show IA characteristics. In the area in the southeast of the oven, layers of mud in different size and form were encountered. These oval, rectangular and shapeless areas might have been used for resting mud prepared for the production of pottery. 7 of these areas, which could be interpreted as clay-resting pool, were discovered in 2013. A few potsherds bearing IA characteristics were found in this area. Therefore, it is possible to date the oven and these clay-resting pools to IA [Öztan 2015]. |
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