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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Kurban 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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418 m |
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Region:
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Southeastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Sanliurfa |
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District:
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Bozova |
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Village:
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Çinarli |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Early Late Middle |
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| Location: The site used to lie on the south bank of Euphrates; 2 km west of the village of Cümcüme connected to Bozova District of the city of Urfa; previous to its inundation by Atatürk Dam Reservoir. It was 60 km north-northwest of the city of Urfa and 15 km from the district of Bozova. The location code is U 50 / 7. |
| Geography and Environment: Kurban Höyük is founded upon a low; 1.5 km wide terrace on the south bank of Euphrates and is surrounded by a higher terrace at the south. It is discovered that the first settlement of Kurban Höyük lies beside a natural water spring; at the edge of the alluvial plain of a valley that cuts one of the higher terraces. The mound has two low cones. The higher one on the south is 9-10 m high from the plain level and measures 250x180 m. The latter on the north is 4 m high and measures 170x120 m. Both mounds; in total; cover an area of approximately 6 hectares (250 m in east-west and 300 m in north-south direction). 3000 m2 of the mound is excavated and virgin soil is reached in three of the trenches [Algaze 1990c:4-5]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It is discovered by Ü. Serdaroglu in 1975 [Serdaroglu 1977:120]; during his research in Lower Euphrates Basin and is surveyed by M. Özdogan from the University of Istanbul Prehistory Department as a part of the 1977 Lower Euphrates Basin Surface Survey Project [Özdogan 1977:171]. The excavations were conducted between the years 1980-84 by L. Marfoe from the Chicago Oriental Institute as a part of the project for the sites endangered by Atatürk Dam. Widely excavated area and the virgin soil reached in several places yielded an exact stratification of the mound as well as playing a key role in the dating of other settlements in the Southeastern Anatolia Region [Marfoe 1983a:96-101; Marfoe et al. 1986:48-53; Verhaaren 1997:1068-1069]. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: Eight main strata are recovered as a result of the three trenches for fixing the stratigraphy of the mound. The earliest level in this sense is Period VIII dating back to the Middle-Late Halaf Period recovered on virgin soil. On the other hand the very few Neolithic Age potsherds recovered from the southern mound point to a possible Neolithic settlement in this section of the site. However; no corresponding deposit could be recovered in the excavated areas. Period VII; directly following Period VIII; which dates to the Middle Chalcolithic Age; is pottery-wise interrelated with Halafian Culture and contemporary with Ubaid Period of North Mezopotamia. As a whole; the chronological results are as follows: I : Medieval Period II : Early Abbasid Period III : Early Bronze-Middle Bronze Age Transitional Period IVA-C : Early Bronze Age (Middle-Late Phases) VA-B : Early Bronze Age (Early Phase) VIA-B : Late Chalcolithic Age VII : Middle Chalcolithic Age VIII : Middle-Late Halaf Period |
| Small Finds: Architecture: Period VIII; Area A: The earliest phase of Kurban Höyük has 1.5 m of cultural deposit and 5 architectural phases. A rectangular structure and a hearth; 1.5 m in diameter; constitute the remains of the 1st Phase; on virgin soil in the southern mound. The foundation of the 1.90x1.20 m structure is built with a single course of pebbles from the river bed and a probable door exists on the eastern wall. There is another architectural element out of stone right at the north of this structure; but its function is incomprehensible. The 2nd Phase is represented by a rectangular structure damaged by later phase pits. This 2x3 m structure has a two-course stone foundation; a compact soil floor; and a door opening on the eastern wall. The best-preserved phase of the Halaf Period is the 3rd Phase in which the stone foundations of a round structure (tholos) with an inner diameter of 2.6 m and an outer diametar of 4.10 m is recovered. The floor of this structure is plastered. The 4th Phase does not yield anything but several pits and a thick deposit. There is a round structure in the shape of a horse-shoe with a joint rectangular room (tholos with dromos) in the 5th Phase. The entrance to the building is recovered unexpectedly on the north; at the back of the main round room. Two courses of stones are recovered as the foundation with soil between them hinting that the building was renovated. The inner diameter is 3.20 m. There is a rectangular structure right west of this building; but most of it is unexcavated [Marfoe-Ingraham 1990:23-28]. The northern mound (Area CO1) was not settled in Halaf Period. Period VII: The southern mound was not settled after Halaf Period; Middle Chalcolithic remains are recovered in Area CO1 on the north and are represented by the ashy deposits and poor mud-brick remains of the 1st Phase [Marfoe et al. 1986:48-49; Marfoe-Evins 1990:119-120]. Period VI; Area A: The southern mound deserted after Halaf Period was re-settled in Late Chalcolithic and yields a total of 1.5 m thick deposit for VIA and VIB periods. The earliest phase (VIB; 6th Phase) is represented by an open area withholding an ashy hearth and two large pits. The 7th Phase remains of Period VIA are a probable court-wall represented by rows of flat limestone; hearth and floor remains; and areas of concentrated potsherds and pebbles. The recovered 8th Phase area; with its pits; concentration of potsherds and pebbles; a pit filled artificially with stones; and a pit filled with bones; demonstrates a similar court with that of the 7th Phase; used for open-air activities. The several remains from 9th Phase are an ovoid ashy hearth; a 2.2 m long and 0.60 m wide mud-brick wall without stone foundation north of it; and an L-shaped room north of the wall. This room has stone walls and there is another stone wall across it. No architectural remains belonging to the last phase of the Late Chalcolithic Age could be recovered [Marfoe-Ingraham 1990a:23-34]. The Late Chalcolithic Age (2nd Phase) is poorly represented in Area CO1 by pebble paved floor pieces; scattered potsherds; concentrated areas of finds; and pits [Marfoe-Evins 1990:120]. In Area F; no remains but a few bevelled rim bowl sherds from the Late Chalcolithic Age are existent. On the other hand; such finds prove that this area between the two mounds was first used in this period [Marfoe 1990:170;176; Wilkinson 1990:88-93]. Ceramics: Period VIII; Middle-Late Halaf: The most apparent wares of this period are grit-tempered painted ware and chaff-tempered ware. The subgroups of the first kind of ware are Halafian Painted Ware; Ubaid-like Painted Ware; plain nonpainted ware; and coarse ware. The subgroups of the latter are burnished; nonburnished; painted; and dark face burnished kinds; but are recovered in small amounts [Marfoe et al. 1986:54-55; Algaze 1990b:219-231]. Period VII; Middle Chalcolithic: The two main wares are chaff and grit-tempered non-elaborate painted ware and chaff-tempered coarse rarely burnished ware. The latter seems to be a continuation of Halafian tradition with its chaff-tempered paste and simple forms such as jars with high tapering neck.The main forms for both wares are various bowls (small; large; deep; and semiglobular); shallow plates; globular jars with short neck; and jars with tubular neck. Sherds in dark face burnished ware are rarely found. The studies on Kurban Höyük Period VII pottery have shown that chronologically there is no big hiatus between Halaf Period and the studied period; that this settlement is not strongly interrelated with Ubaid culture of North Mezopotamia; that the site is rather influenced by local traditions; and that the term "local Ubaid" should be used in the chronological sense rather than pointing at a cultural relation with Ubaid [Marfoe et al. 1986:55-56; Algaze 1990b:235-240]. Period VI; Late Chalcolithic: The assemblage of this period is represented by the Amuq F chaff-faced/chaff-tempered ware in early phases and by sand-tempered plain and simple wares in later (VIA) phases. Typical Late Chalcolithic Uruk forms such as bevelled rim bowls which suggest diffusion of Uruk decrease in these later phases. Other wares such as burnish-decorated; red-slipped; incise-decorated and probably exported Karaz ware are rare in this phase. It is interesting that there are apparent wheel-marks on especially most of the Period VIA pottery. Relations with Mezopotamia can be traced by forms such as four-handled vessels; spouted jugs; conical vessels with string-cut base; and flasks with narrow neck whereas chaff-tempered cooking vessels (bowls and jars) stay similar in both phases [Marfoe et al. 1986:56-57; Algaze 1990b:243-271]. Clay: The clay finds are a spoon from Period VIII [Yener 1990:404]; clay lumps prepared for making tablets [Marfoe 1984:124]; an animal figurine representing sheep or a dog; and two spindle-whorls from Late Chalcolithic Age deposits. Pierced or non-pierced rounded potsherds recovered from Middle and Late Chalcolithic levels are interpereted as spindle whorls or lids; a reel-like object is thought to be used for weaving [Yener 1990:399; 401-403]. Chipped Stone: Period VIII: Only 83 of the 2100 pieces of Halaf Period flint stone assemblage are tools. There are pieces related with production of blades and an interesting cutting tool produced in pressure technique. Other tools are denticulated; notched types; burins; composite tools; and sickles. The bifaced flint dagger recovered on the floor of the 3rd Phase round structure is an interesting find [Marfoe et al. 1986:60; Marfoe-Ingraham 1990:26; Yener 1990:409]. Period VII; Middle Chalcolithic: The finds in order of importance are as follows: denticulated tools; notched tools; chopping tools; burins; composite tools; and sickles. Other flintstone finds demonstrating various phases of blade production have proven that they were made locally [Marfoe et al. 1986:60]. Period VI; Late Chalcolithic: The denticulated; notched tools; perforators; and burins made on flakes; blades; and lumps are similar to the earlier examples. Canaanite blades show up in Late Chalcolithic and continue through Early Bronze Age [Marfoe et al. 1986:60-61; Yener 1990:408]. Ground Stone: The earliest finds of the ground stone assemblage are the stone vessels from Halaf Period. Those recovered in the Late Chalcolithic levels are a spindle-whorl; a pierced object (mace head?); pestles; mortars; and flat grinding stones [Marfoe et al. 1986:79-80; Yener 1990:408]. Bone/Antler: One awl found in Halaf deposit; another in Late Chalcolithic; and two beads from Late Chalcolithic levels constitute the bone finds [Yener 1990:409-410]. Metal: The earliest analysed metal find of Kurban Höyük comes from Period VIA and is a pure copper pin; the head of which is in the form of a bird [Marfoe 1983a:101; Marfoe et al. 1986:83; Yener 1990:405]. Human Remains: A well-preserved skeleton is recovered from Period VIII of Halaf Culture. It is thought to be related with the round architectural structure of this phase. The skeleton belongs to a woman at age 40 from the dolikosefal Mediterraenean race [Alpagut 1986:150-151; 159]. The body lies in hocker position with its head to the south. Two skeletons of a woman of age 25-30 and a man of age 20-22 [Alpagut 1986:158-159] are recovered as if they were thrown away; in a pit in Period VIB. However; the vessel left beside them as a burial gift contradicts this view. Fauna: Pig is the primery animal from Halaf Period until the end of the Late Chalcolithic Period VI. Other remains are of sheep; goat; and cattle [Marfoe et al. 1986:91-92;121;table 8]. Flora: Grains such as wheat and barley; beans; and weeds are found from Halaf Period until the end of Period VI. Grape appears in Period VI [Marfoe et al. 1986:88;120;table 7]. Other: The sea shells recovered in Halaf through Late Chalcolithic Periods are of Mediterraenean origin [Reese 1990:410-411]. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Besides a few Neolithic sherds; the earliest finds of Kurban Höyük are from Halaf Period. This shows that the site may be considered in "Primery Halaf Region"* and that the finds may be compared with the contemporary settlement of Çavi Tarlasi in the province of Urfa. The Middle Chalcolithic Age settlement that constitutes the northern mound follows the short hiatus after the desertation of the southern mound that marks the end of the Halafian settlement founded here. The Middle Chalcolithic finds of the settlement suggest that it is contemporary with Northern Ubaid Culture in Mezopotamia. Late Chalcolithic Age settlement first developing around the southern mound; covers both mounds later. The early phase of this period shows local characteristics whereas the later phase spreading towards the northern mound; shows Late Uruk characteristics paralleling the developments in North Mezopotamia: the diffusion of Uruk culture. Long-distance trade develops in this phase and the settlement texture of the site becomes rather concentrated [Marfoe 1983a:108; Marfoe et al. 1986:54-57; Marfoe-Algaze 1990:421-425]. |
