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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Öküzini Magarasi |
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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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Cave |
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Altitude:
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250 m |
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Region:
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Mediterranean |
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Province:
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Antalya |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Yagca |
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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: The cave-site lies 32 km northwest of the city of Antalya; north of the village of Yagca; 1.5 km north-northeast of Karain Cave. The site is very close to the old Antalya-Burdur highway passes. The survey code of the site is 19 V / 2. |
| Geography and Environment: The mouth of the cave; which lies 4-5 m above the travertine in front of it; faces east-northeast. There is another cavity beyond the 23.5 m long main cavity. The cave is roughly triangular in shape. The mouth of the cave is 25 m wide [Harmankaya-Tanindi 1996: Öküzini]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: In 1956; the year he discovered Öküzini; Kiliç Kökten opened a small test trench by the mouth of the cave. Scientific research at this site was halted until Yalçinkaya resumed excavations 1989; under the auspices of the Antalya Museum. The trench opened by Kökten was 2.5x1.5 m in size and was excavated to 2.52 m beneath the surface. This excavation yielded a total of five cultural layers. Kökten assigns the first two layers to the Early Bronze Age II; the third layer to the Chalcolithic; the fourth layer to the Neolithic and the fifth and final layer to the Upper Palaeolithic Period. In 1984; before she began her excavations here; Yalçinkaya sifted Kökten's spoil and recovered 356 artifacts. After having cleaned Kökten's sections in 1989; excavation began under Yalçinkaya's direction with a team of multi-national specialists. The scientific excavation involved mapping the cave and making a grid-plan of the site (for more information on this research see Yalçinkaya 1992:56-57). The grid extended vertically as well; where a new archaeological layer was defined every 10 cm. Excavations led jointly by Yalçinkaya and M. Otte from Liége University are currently continuing. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: The stratigraphy of the cave-site as determined by Kökten's excavations; which reached a depth of 2.52 m below the surface; is reported to be comprised of five layers. Two of these layers have been assigned to the Early Bronze Age while the third; fourth and fifth have been assigned to the Chalcolithic; Neolithic and Upper Palaeolithic Periods consecutively [Kökten 1962a:41]. The uppermost layer of the excavations conducted by Yalçinkaya; however; yielded Ceramic Neolithic material. This layer was followed by Epipalaeolithic and Late Upper Palaeolithic layers (For description of the lower levels; see Harmankaya-Tanindi 1996: Öküzini). According to G. Albrecht; the deep sounding conducted at Öküzini in 1989 yielded an Early Holocene Horizon; labeled as AH 2 and AH 3; which has been assigned to the Aceramic Neolithic Period [Albrecht 1994:207-208]. |
| Small Finds: Pottery: The ceramics found at the site have been dated to 9;000-5;500 BC by Yalçinkaya. No detailed information has been provided on the ceramics. Chipped Stone: The Aceramic Neolithic chipped stone finds included tranchet-like retouched microlithics; long and thin triangles and crescents [Albrecht 1994:207-208]. Ground Stone: One celt was found [Yalçinkaya 1995:fig.II/1]. Albrecht also mentions that a ground stone celt fragment and a pendant was found in the "Holocene Horizon" layer [Albrecht 1994:207-208]. Bone/Antler: A bone spatula was found [Albrecht 1994:207-208]. Human Remains: A Neolithic human skeleton was found in the profile of Kökten's trench. This skeleton is an important discovery because it allows for analysis and understanding of the skeletal structures and characteristics of Southwestern Anatolian Neolithic peoples. Yalçinkaya's excavations in the 1994 season yielded a flexed burial. The skeleton was partially damaged because it was so close to the surface. On the skull there is one carefully opened hole and another less carefully opened oval shaped one. The burial goods include a broken vessel; a fragmentary stone idol and many necklace beads. There is a row of limestone rocks lining the feet of the skeleton which suggests that the cave may have functioned as a necropolis in the Neolithic. Fauna: Wild sheep; deer; wild-pig; wild cattle are some of the animals which were hunted in the "Holocene Horizon". Other: Shell beads and jewelry were found. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: The uncalibrated C-14 dates for a sample taken from the Aceramic Neolithic AH 2 and AH 3 layers beneath the Neolithic are 8;595±80 and 8;800±80. The Öküzini "Holocene Horizon"; according to Albrecht; is contemporaneous with the Anatolian Aceramic Neolithic Period [Albrecht 1994:208]. Mellaart believes that the Ceramic Neolithic finds and especially the pottery show close affinity with Kizilkaya/Bademagaci material. |
