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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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| 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: 13 levels were uncovered from the surface until the virgin soil [Duru 1994:1996:1] and dated by the excavator as follows; 12-13: Early Neolithic Age 11: Late Neolithic Age 7-10: Early Chalcolithic Age 6 A -3: Late Chalcolithic Age 1-2: EBA |
| Small Finds: Architecture: No important architectural remains were uncovered other than remains of hearths and damaged wall fragments because the levels 1 and 2 dated to EBA have been severely damaged. Remains of those levels were demolished due to both erosion and heavy cultivation. Among the remains of the village; only found are remains of a building identified as altar. Probably belonging to the first building level; this building consists of a four-cornered platform and a mudbrick stele on its northen side. Traces expose that wood was fired in the burnished altar. Channel uncovered beneath the altar is for the liquids adorned to the gods. Ceramics: Sherds identified as EBA were found in disorder [Duru 1996:66-69]. Among the materials recovered during the surface collection or excavation; wares of J and K are reported to belong to EBA. No huge differences are observed between the wares of Levels 1 and 2. Wares of group J have thin and small grit-tempered paste. Surface of the handmade vessels is coated with a thin wash and burnished before firing. Their surfaces are gray/black and red same as their pastes. Most of them are claimed to be well fired [Duru 1996:67]. They are divided into three main groups by R. Duru in terms of their forms; goblets-cups; plates-bowls and decanters-jugs. Spouted pitchers are common. Handles functionally placed give a motion to the forms. In spite of the absence of painting decoration; a few incision decorated samples is seen. Likewise; rare numbers of vessels bear bas-reliefs or excised decorations [Duru 1996: index 5]. Samples of the second group of ware; group K were recovered from a small area. Their paste is tempered with a small amount of grit. These wares usually have shades of blackish gray on its surface. Vessels of ware J; which are handmade; are poorly burnished. Wash is not that common. They are incision decorated. Forms of small bowls; singled handled juglets; double handled small jugs and jugs with inverted necks and very big handles are common. Patterns like chevrons; crossing lines; lines of rhombs and concentric triangles are popular [Duru 1996:index 6]. Other than those two groups of ware; kitchen wares identified as coarse ware were found. They are accepted to be closer to group J. Common forms are deep bowls; pots; jugs; storage jars and platters [Duru 1996: index 7]. Duru; in his evaluations regarding the EBA pottery of Kuruçay; reports that he came across the samples of sherds identical to group J in the EBA settlements of Burdur and its surrounding territory; settlements of Isparta Plain and at Karatas-Semayük. Clay: Most interesting materials of this group are idols in terracotta. Largely; they are depicted in their front sides. Chipped Stone: This industry was examined by A. Baykal-Seeher. In general; the industry is not distinctive than the Late Chalcolithic Age. Flintstone was used more than obsidian. Ground Stone: Finds recovered are flat axes; shaft-holed axes; mace heads and burnishing stones. Among them; shaft-holed axes claimed to be used as ceremonial axe are small in size and have slightly blunt edges. Human Remains: Limited number of graves; only burials of children; dating to this age exposes the presence of an extramural cemetery. No survey was carried out to verify it. Fauna: Those finds were examined by E. Deniz. Analyses revealed the presence of domestic animals like sheep/goat; cattle and bull as well as hunted animals like roe deer; pig; bezoar goat; wild boar; grey wolf; common red fox and bear. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Dating of EBA settlements at Kuruçay is somewhat difficult since the stratification was not being able to exactly identify. R. Duru tends to date these poorer settlements (Levels 1 and 2) compared to the other periods to the midst of the third millennium BC (end of EBA I and midst of EBA II) [Duru 1996: chronological table at 107]. It can be considered comparable with Beycesultan XVI-XVII; Kusura B; Karatas/Semayük and Level H of Demircihöyük. Although 14C samples were not taken for those levels; 2 building levels of Kuruçay can be dated to 2300-2450 BC based on the 14C dating of Karatas/Semayük. R. Duru dates the group he identifies as garbage material back to the first quarter of the third millennium BC and relates the abandonment of the settlement to the third quarter of the third millennium BC [Duru 1996:103]. Kuruçay excavations more or less contributed to the dating of EBA finds collected during the surveys conducted in the neighboring territory of the mound in the vicinity of Burdur; Isparta and Antalya. |
