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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Kocagöz / Demirci Höyük |
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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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145 m |
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Region:
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Black Sea |
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Province:
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Sinop |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Demirci |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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| Location: Also known as Demircihöyük; it lies 2 km south of Sinop-Gerze motorway; next to the Demirci Village; some 13 km south of the Sinop Province [Budde 1956:9]. |
| Geography and Environment: Measuring 160x70 m in dimensions; southeastern part of the mound is obscured by the village houses. It also has been damaged by State Dispensing Units to build a water tank. The mound is located on the eastern part of a plain having valleys on both sides. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was discovered in 1951; and 2 m deep was reached at trench A during the excavation carried out in 1953 under A. Erzen and L. Buddle; but the excavation was discontinued before reaching the bedrock. It was reinvestigated by M.A. Isin in early 1990s. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: Excavations yielded 3 layers which were separated by thick clay strata and underwent a fire. A fourth layer was found; but it could not have been examined in detail as the excavation discontinued. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: All of the levels yielded compressed clay soil and ovens. The constructions were probably wooden. Ovens uncovered in the first and second level are oval shaped; made of small stones attached with loam mortar. Forms of ovens change to cornered structures in the third level. They are built of red clay. Pottery: Upper three levels yielded sherds and entire cups of handmade; black; brown; grey; yellow and red surface colored; usually burnished ware. Some of the sherds are decorated with excisions/incisions filled in white while some others have fish-bone and bulge decorations. Decorated sherds are much in the first two levels where the wares of the second level are coarser. First level houses brown; light brown and washed vessels whereas the third level is dominated by red surface colored; burnished ware. The lowest fourth level yielded very well fired; incision decorated; black burnished vessels. Forms consist of wide forms such as carinated cups; spherical vases; vessels with and without pedestals. Rarely found are storage jars. Small cups recovered from the EBA settlements were examined by M.A. Isin in detail; and they can be grouped into 4 types as knob-like; long pointed base; pointed base and flat base [Isin 1991:177]. The former was proposed to be used for liquids such as milk while the third and fourth being probably the pioneer of depas. Bowls and kitchen wares belonging to EBA I were found by Dönmez. Clay: Idols; spindle whorls and loomweights are recovered. Ground Stone: Grinding stones and stone tools expose the presence of a heavy production of cereals. Bone/Antler: Very restricted number of awl was found. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Kocagöz Höyük is one of the most significant settlements in the Black Sea Region. Erzen compares the finds with the Yortan culture of Troy I-II [Erzen 1956:72]. C.A. Burney who examined the finds of Kocagöz Höyük dated them to Late Chalcolithic Age while W. Orthmann included them in EBA culture. Surveys recently carried out in the mound expose that it is better to include the lowest levels of the mound in Late Chalcolithic Age rather than EBA. |
