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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Ilicapinar |
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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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955 m |
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Region:
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Central Anatolia |
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Province:
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Konya |
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District:
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Cihanbeyli |
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Village:
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Ilica |
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Investigation Method:
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Survey |
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Period:
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Ceramic |
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| Location: This site is located east of the city of Konya; approximately 11 km south of the town of Cihanbeyli; east of the village of Ilicapinar. The mound lies on a flat area next to a natural hill; immediately south of the unpaved road that goes from Ilica to the villages of Yapali and Cüdkanli. It is possible to get to the site by taking the Ilicapinar turn-off from the Konya-Cihanbeyli highway and then by taking another turn-off onto the unpaved road to Yapali. |
| Geography and Environment: The low-lying mound-site lies at the northernmost corner of Acituz Lake (also known as Bulok or Bolluk Lake). East of the mound is a freshwater spring. The dimensions of the mound have not been provided. The obsidian tools and weapons found at the site were concentrated on the southern and eastern skirts of the mound; the other parts of the mound yielded more total obsidian finds but less tools. The relationship between this equation and the settlement distribution is not known. The southeastern part of the mound is a swamp. The soil around the site is not very fertile. One advantage of the site's location is that it is close to the Salt Lake. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: The site was discovered by H. Kleinsorge; and the finds from this initial survey were published by K. Bittel and J. Mellaart [Bittel 1942b:87; Mellaart 1958a:82-92]. Two more surface surveys were conducted at the site since then: one under the direction of I.A. Todd and D.H. French in 1965 and one by the Japanese crew led by S. Omura in 1990 during their Central Anatolian Surface Survey. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: Although the whole stratigraphy of the mound is not known because no excavation was ever conducted at this site; the chipped stone finds as well as the ceramics have Neolithic characteristics and; therefore; this mound-site has been assigned to the Ceramic Neolithic Period. |
| Small Finds: Pottery: In addition to yellowish-red and brown burnished thin ware; ceramics with surface colors ranging from gray to dark brown have been found. Although the chipped stone tools resemble the finds from Çatalhöyük East; there is no resemblance in the ceramics from these two sites. Ceramic finds characteristic to the Konya Region; especially the closed vessels and dark wares; were not found at Ilicapinar. Chipped Stone: The chipped stone finds from Ilicapinar comprise the most interesting artifact category from this site [Bittel 1942b:fig. 4-5]. The tools include pressure flaked and retouched tools; weapons on blades; points; scrapers; as well as a few burins and perforators [Todd 1980:69;71]. No cores were found in any of the surface surveys in the area. The chipped stone tool industry at this site shows close affinity with that at the site of Çatalhöyük East [Todd 1980:53]. The obsidian used at the site is the same type of obsidian that was used at other Neolithic sites. Although not common; flint is also a raw material in chipped stone tool production. Omura and crew note that the most frequent finds at this site are points and obsidian bladelets [Omura 1992:542-543]. Ground Stone: It has been reported that Kleinsorge found polished nephrite celts during his surface survey. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: The fertile soils in the Konya Plain have attracted many prehistoric "early farmer" communities. The site; since it is close to the Salt Lake; may also have played an important role in the export of salt. In ASPRO; the site has been placed in the fifth phase and is dated to 8;000-7;600 BP [Hours et al. 1994:172-173]. The chipped stone industry here is believed to a part of the Lake Beysehir horizon style in this period. Todd believes that the pottery production resembles Hacilar; Late Neolithic VI [Todd 1980:53-54]. |
