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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Köskerbaba |
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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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m |
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Region:
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Eastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Malatya |
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District:
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Battalgazi |
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Village:
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Firat |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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EBA III |
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| Location: It was located 250 m southwest of the former bridge of the Malatya-Elazig railway; within the territory of the Firat Village; east of the Battlagazi District (Old Malatya); about 31 km northeast of the Malatya Province before it was flooded by the Karakaya Dam. |
| Geography and Environment: 100 m far from the Euphrates; it was standing on an old terrace of the Euphrates on a ridge consisting of low hills adjacent to the river bed [Bilgi 1987a:189-190]. Name of the mound; rumor has it that; comes from a holly person Köskerbaba or Göçkerbaba who was a very tall shoemaker. Tomb of this holly person calling attention by its exaggerated length was located at the downhill. It was verified that during the construction of the old bridge; some structures were built on the mound and a leveling was carried out as well so that the upper layer of the mound was severely damaged. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was discovered during the 1977 survey aiming to locate the settlements that will be submerged by the Karakaya Dam [Özdogan 1977:50-51]. It was excavated from 1978 to 1984 under Ö. Bilgi; lecturer of the University of Istanbul for 7 seasons without any break in the name of TEKDAM (Research Center for Salvage and Evaluation of Historical Finds; Middle East Technical University. The excavation was discontinued when the mound was flooded. |
| Stratigraphy: It was decided that the first settlement of the mound was established on an accumulated cone consisting of sand at the end of EBA [Bilgi 1983:91]. It was found out that the hill houses a cultural deposit of ca. 4.6 m thick. 4 main layers (A-D) were identified having 6 levels/building levels from the first settlement to the Ottoman Period; the lowest level housing the end of EBA III with three building levels/layers (fourth cultural layer of the mound) [Bilgi 1986:144]. Above this level lies the Iron Age level which will enlighten the Urartu Period followed by the level of end of Hellenistic Period-Roman Period with two building levels. Very limited number of sherds and architectural remains belonging to the Ottoman Period [Bilgi 1981:83] verifies that the mound housed a small Ottoman settlement lastly [Bilgi 1987a:195]. |
| Small Finds: Architecture (fourth cultural layer: phase EBA III-MBA I): Excavation carried out in an area of 550 square meters at trench A in order to uncover remains belonging to the settlement at the end of EBA yielded three building levels. First building level houses three adjacent structures; entrances being on the river side. On their foundations; big stones were used on the sides and middle part was filled with broken stones. Top of the walls are of mudbrick while the floors were wiped by clay soil. Structure "k" uncovered during the 1982 excavation has neatly plastered mudbrick walls up to 2 m high. Lower part of the bench adjacent to the southern wall is painted in black; and the southern wall has horizontal and vertical red bands on a black background on the lower part while big red dots on beige on the upper part [Bilgi 1984:114]. No interpretation was provided whether it is a sanctuary or not. Trace of a wooden pillar in the middle of structure "o" exposes that there was a pillar probably supporting the flat roof. The structure (structure "o") housed benches in front of the high walls and a monumental hearth in front of the northwestern wall. Although the walls of the monumental hearth were finished depicting a human face; the face was not engraved. It was whitewashed in white while the lower part of the walls in black. Fine workmanship of the structure and presence of monumental hearth were concluded by the excavator that the structure was a sanctuary [Bilgi 1986:144]. Structure "p" calls attention with its benches and black whitewashes. Those two structures were suggested to be used as dwellings. Second building level of EBA III has been severely destroyed by the first building level; yet a neat paving made of mubrick walls was uncovered. First building level of EBA III: Lowest level houses walls belonging to constructions; their foundations sitting on a natural layer of sand. Construction technique is almost indistinctive than the upper levels [Bilgi 1986:144-145]. Those structures belong to a single construction which has small rectangular cells on the sections toward the Euphrates and rooms with semi-circular plans on the back side [Bilgi 2000b:138]. Pottery: All building levels of EBA III yielded intact cups and sherds belonging to monochrome and painting decorated pottery specific to the Malatya-Elazig region. In both ware groups; beige or shades of beige was used as wash. Their pastes are grit-tempered. Pseudo handles are seen in the lower building levels of EBA while the top level housed round or flat cut loop handled bowls. Handles of paint decorated bowls are also decorated; and geometrical patterns are placed near the rim whereas natural patterns are largely seen on the ventral part of the vessel. Dark brown or black; rarely; red paints were applied. All three levels house same type of decorated sherds; mostly geometrical patterns were preferred. Human and animal depictions are also seen as natural patterns. Also found are flying birds; stylized goats; donkey and dancing woman figures [Bilgi 2000b:fig.10]. As geometrical patterns; waved lines; waved bands; filled in triangles etc. are visible. Presence of black washed and burnished ware (probably Karaz ware) is reported in the second and third level of EBA III [Bilgi 1985:50; pic.6]. Exterior and interior surfaces of some are washed in different colors while some have decorations applied by inscrustation technique. Flying bird pattern is common. Presence of the samples of Karaz ware is also reported in the first building level. Metal: Hair spiral in copper/bronze recovered from the 1st building level is one of the rare metallic finds. Other: Flintstone blades in beige color were recovered. Human Remains: Two jar/pithos graves uncovered during the recent excavations expose the presence of an intramural cemetery. First one is a pithos grave belonging to the 1st building level. It houses an infant's skeleton. The opening was capped by a broken bowl. The other grave belongs to the 3rd building level. Opening of this grave was capped by a stone plate [Bilgi 1986:pic.9]. It houses an adult skeleton. A bronze ring; probably a grave good; was found in the grave. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: It is claimed that the EBA settlement of Köskerbaba is one of the significant settlements in the region. Likes of its pottery are seen at mounds like Arslantepe; Norsuntepe; Korucutepe; Han Ibrahim Sah; Pulur and Yeniköy. Although in the first publications it was indicated that the 3rd building level of EBA III has fortification walls [Bilgi 1985:50]; following publications do not refer to this subject. Furthermore; even tough no 14C samples were taken; it can be suggested that the 3rd and 2nd building levels are dated to the end of the third millennium BC; 1st building level to the end of the third millennium BC - beginning of the second millennium BC. A third millennium BC settlement has been attested by the presence of the painting decorated pottery. |
