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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Kuruçay |
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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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935 m |
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Region:
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Mediterranean |
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Province:
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Burdur |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Kuruçay |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Ceramic |
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| Location: This site lies west of the town of Burdur; by the fifteenth kilometer of the highway going west from Burdur towards Yesilova and Tefenni. It is 1.5 km southwest of Kuruçay Stream; which is very close to the highway. |
| Geography and Environment: The mound of Kuruçay lies on an undulating plain; on the stepped hills facing Lake Burdur. It lies in an area with deep river beds on its south; west and northern sides. The mound is 8 m high and has a 90x60 m base. It is 960 m above sea level and 110 m above Lake Burdur [Özsait 1979:102; Duru 1994a:1;83]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: The earliest research conducted on the mound in 1964; was a surface survey by J. Birmingham of the Hacilar excavation team. Later; the Burdur Museum and in 1972-74 and in 1975; M. Özsait of the University of Istanbul; Department of History revisited the site and collected surface materials. Excavations were conducted on the mound in 1978-88 under the direction of R. Duru of the University of Istanbul; Department of Protohistorical and Near Eastern Archaeology [Duru 1994a:1-2]. Excavation reports were published in detail [Duru 1996]. EBA finds of this settlement are introduced at Kuruçay Höyügü II; one of the two main publications [Duru 1996:65-103]. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: A total of 13 occupational phases were discovered on the mound of Kuruçay; all dating to the Neolithic; Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Ages. Early Bronze Age II (Occupational Phase 1) Early Bronze Age II-I (Occupational Phase 2) Late Chalcolithic (Occupational Phases 3; 3A; 4-6; 6A) Early Chalcolithic (Occupational Phases 7-10) Late Neolithic (Occupational Phase 11) Early Neolithic (Occupational Phases 12 and 13) Virgin soil |
| Small Finds: Architecture: The earliest occupational phase; (Early Neolithic Layer) yielded no architectural remains. This period is represented only by ceramic finds [Duru 1990:82-83; 1994a:9]. The earliest architectural structures belong to Occupational Phase 12. This phase yielded two rectangular mudbrick houses with strong stone foundations. One of them is large and rectangular in plan while the other is smaller and has arched walls [Duru 1996b:50]. The two are connected by one doorway. In the middle of the latter house is a horse-shoe shaped fire-place/oven. In the later half of the same occupational phase (12 upper); another wall appears to have been built south of both structures [Duru 1990:82; 1994a:9-10]. The architectural plans of other structures could not be recovered since parts had been eroded by the surrounding streams. Occupational Phase 11 which has been assigned to the Late Neolithic Period is comprised of two stages. The stone foundations of the houses in this stage were badly damaged or reused by later settlers. The upper stage of this occupational phase (11 upper); however; provides detailed information on Late Neolithic settlement. The settlement includes a fortress type building with semicircular towers [Duru 1987a:75; 1988a:65]. On the southern face of the 1.1-1.2 m thick wall are two towers; one partially broken and one intact. In the north; 4 m from this wall are the remains of another wall which suggest that the fortressing continued. The space between the two main walls functions as a passage way. The front part of the area which is lined with pebbles is believed to be the main entrance of the complex [Duru 1994a:11]. Because the remains within the fortress are partial; they are difficult to interpret. Much of the architectural remains from this layer has been destroyed by the later Occupational Phase 7 and by the erosive powers of the nearby stream [Duru 1994a:12]. After Occupational Phase 11; the inhabitants of this mound moved south to an area that was not fortified [Duru 1988a:66]. Pottery: The ceramics of Phase 13 are brittle; poorly-fired; and unevenly burnished. Closed vessel types; S-profiled bowls and wide bellied slightly necked jars are the most common vessel shapes [Duru 1990:83]. The ceramics of Phase 12 are not too different from those of Phase 13 but a few improvements have been made [Duru 1994a:33]. In Phase 12; red and beige slipped wares appear. Painted decorations and geometric and other designs can be grouped in two main categories [Duru 1989b:58; 1990:83]. There are differences in vessel shapes; although some forms continue from Phase 13. Vertical pierced handles; horizontal pierced animal-head shaped handles and pseudo-lugs appear. New vessel shapes begin to appear in the later stage of Phase 12; including relief decorated vessels [Duru 1990:84]. Phase 11 yielded typical Late Neolithic ceramics; including red slipped well-burnished ceramics. The best quality vessels in terms of burnishing; painting and firing were reached in this stage [Duru 1989b:58; 1994a:39]. In addition to painted wares; there is a coarse; unburnished and non-slipped ware type [Duru 1987a:75; 1989b:58; 1994a:39]. The Late Neolithic ceramic technology is a continuation of Early Neolithic forms and styles [Duru 1994a:40]. Clay: The oldest human figurines were the female figurines found in Occupational Phase 11. Some are stylized. The figurines are mostly portrayed standing. Painting was noticed on the legs suggesting that the women were clothed. The figurines were made by attaching the appendages to preformed clay torsos [Duru 1994a:61]. In addition to figurines; baked clay spoons and ladles were found. The ends of the spoons were shaped in bull and goat motifs [Duru 1994a:62-63]. Chipped Stone: Flint is the main raw material used in Kuruçay Neolithic tools; obsidian is rare. Although the industry is mostly a blade industry; flakes have also been used in tool production. In Occupational Phase 12; the most common stone tools were discs; scrapers were the most frequently found tools in Occupational Phase 11. There are no large differences in the stone tool typologies in the various Neolithic occupational phases at Kuruçay [Duru 1994a:75]. Ground Stone: Stone figurines; beads; bowls and chisels were found. All the occupational phases yielded grinding stones [Duru 1994a:69-70]. In situ grinding and mill stones were found in two houses in Occupational Phase 12 [Duru 1994a:10]. Bone/Antler: Many bone tools made from sheep; goat; cattle; wild-pig; fallow deer and roedeer were found. Bone spoons comprise the largest bone-tool category [Duru 1987a:75]. Other multi-functional scraping tools; needles; awls; one spindle whorl; one chisel and a few other bone tools; sickles; burnishing tools; handles and antler tools were recovered. Human Remains: Neolithic human remains were found in four burials from Late Neolithic Occupational Phase 11. Both adult burials were flexed while the other two were child skeletons. The child graves also yielded astragalus (knuckle) bones; while one of the adult graves had one vessel along with it. The researcher does not believe these are burial gifts [Duru 1994a:18]. Fauna: The Early Neolithic Layers of Kuruçay (Layers 12 and 13) yielded wild cattle (Bos primigenius) wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and carnivorous animal bones. Deer bones were found in Occupational Phase 11. Analysis revealed that all animals were wild [Duru 1994a:76-78]. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: There is slight difference in the architectural style in the Early and Late Neolithic at this site [Duru 1994a:16]. Especially in terms of ceramic technology; there appears to be a hiatus between Occupational Phase 12 and 13 [Duru 1994a:51;85]. 14C dates have placed the Early Neolithic component of this site into the end of the seventh millennium BC and the beginning of the sixth millennium BC [Duru 1994a:90]. |
