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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Karaoglan |
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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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1155 m |
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Region:
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Central Anatolia |
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Province:
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Ankara |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Karaoglan |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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EBA II EBA III |
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| Location: It is located to the Karaoglan Village; close to the southeastern end of the Lake Mogan; 25 km south of the Ankara Province. |
| Geography and Environment: It is located where the trade roads running to the southwest and southeast from Ankara intersect in a watery valley. It is an oval hill measuring 18-20 m in height and 260x180 m in dimensions. It has been severely destroyed by the local villagers removing the stones [Arik 1939:27]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was introduced by A. Inan in 1937 and started to be excavated in the same year. Excavations continued until 1942 under R.O. Arik who indicates the presence of pottery dating to the second millennium BC on the surface which initiated the excavations. |
| Stratigraphy: Stratification was largely determined by a trench opened on the western slope. 5 levels were identified. Stratification are as follows; Level I: Classical Period Level II: Iron Age Level III: Hittite Period Level IV: transition from the third millennium BC to the second millennium BC Level V: Va and Vb: EBA II Level V: Vc: Chalcolithic Age [Arik 1948:47] EBA levels were reached 9.4 m below the surface. Level V has traces of a massive fire. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: No architectural remains were uncovered at level Vc while levels Va and Vc yielded small multi-roomed structures with mudbrick walls. Pottery: Sherds of handmade and coarse walled; coarse ware were recovered from levels Vc and Vb. They are tempered with sand; cobble and straw and their exterior surfaces are colored in red or buff whereas the interior surfaces are usually in black [Arik 1984:48]. They are very well burnished. Forms of big bowls; storage jars and jugs are common. Characteristics of lower layers continue in the pottery of level Va. K. Bittel includes Karaoglan in the sites Cappodocian ware is seen [Bittel 1951:map.4]. It was revisited during the survey performed by Bertram-Bertram in 2010. A great number of potsherds belonging to EBA have been collected during the survey scanning. It is believed that the collected sherds from the skirts of the northern slope of the mound belong to earlier phase of EBA (EBA I). Plain sherds were also found. These sherds were underfired and have fewer colors [Bertram-Bertram 2012:53]. Clay: Styled idols typical of Central Anatolia were found [Kulaçoglu (Ed) 1992:pic.89; 92]. Human Remains: EBA layers of the mound yielded burials under the floors of the houses or between the houses. Furthermore; presence of pithos graves indicates the randomness of grave types associated with the economical possibilities of the families; independent of the traditions [Arik 1948:58]. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Presence of a Chalcolithic settlement is questionable since R.O. Arik proposed his interpretation only on the basis of the absence of metallic finds and the coarse ware recovered in the lowest level [Arik 1948:48]. Dating of Karaoglan layers is considered in different ways by the scientists. J. Yakar identifies building level Vc as EBA II and levels Vb-Va And V as EBA III. The structures are convenient for crowded families; and immovable like oven and hearth found in the courtyards are indications of a communal life. |
