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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Samsat |
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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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425 m |
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Region:
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Southeastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Adiyaman |
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District:
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Samsat |
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Village:
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Samsat |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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EBA III EBA II |
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| Location: The site; previous to its inundation by Atatürk Dam; used to lie in Adiyaman; Samsat District; just northeast of the center of the district. It survived as an island for a while after the formation of the dam's water reservoir since it was quite a high mound. The location code is T 51 / 14. |
| Geography and Environment: The mound founded as a settlement on Euphrates' bank; became an inland settlement; 700 m away from the river as a result of the geological oscillations in the river bed; previous to the inundation. The 37-40 m high mound consists of a large mound cone; surrounding terraces; and a lower city; it measures 500x350 m at the base. The mound gets very steep at the east and is sloped at the southwest. It stands upon an elevation of pebble fill as is observed in the sections seeing the river. The east terrace; where the Chalcolithic Age assemblage; is distributed intensely is thought to be the earliest mound. The settlement; known by the names of Samosate; Samosatum; then Semisat and Sumaisat in the Classical Ages; is located at the broadest section of the coastal plain and is therefore at the most advantageous point for crossing over the river. There are numerous fresh water springs at the relatively smooth slopes joining the plain with the plateau. Samsat is a considerable site with such geographical properties; settled in all ages since prehistory until recently. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: Samsat was excavated in 1964 and 1967 under T. Goell during a survey conducted for the Kingdom of Commagene in the Adiyaman region. Two trenches were dug: one broad trench in East-West axis on the cone and one stepped-trench at the eastern slope. It was renown even before the excavation. Then it is surveyed in 1975 by Ü. Serdaroglu and in 1977 by M. Özdogan as a part of the Lower Euphrates Basin Survey Project for investigating the sites endangered by Atatürk and Karakaya Dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) and it was reported that the site had been inhabited continuously from the Halaf Period to the Ottoman Period [For details; see: Harmankaya et al. 1998:Samsat]. It was excavated between 1978 and 1987 (except for 1980) under N. Özgüç aiming largely to open the layers of late period until it was submerged. The excavation was carried out in 7 sites of the large settlement like lower city; fortifications; midst of the eastern slope; southwestern section and the top hill; etc. The EBA levels were largely reached in the squares d-f/13-18 called southwestern trench. |
| Stratigraphy: The stratification of the conic hill and lower city can be; yet uncertain; proposed as follows; Level I-III/building level: Middle Age (squares t-u/9-10) Level V: Roman Period Level V-VI: Early and Late Hellenistic Period (4the century BC) Level VII: New Babylon Period (6th century BC) Levels VIII-XI: Iron Age (squares d-f/15-18) Levels XII-XIII: Late Bronze Age-Middle Bronze Age Level XIV: Assyrian Colony Period (18th century BC) Level XV: 19th century BC Levels XVI-XIX: Early Bronze Age Level XX: transition from Late Chalcolithic Age to Early Bronze Age Levels XXI-XXVII /building levels: Chalcolithic Age (squares g-r/14-15) It is observed that the mound of Samsat was heavily occupied during the Chalcolithic Age and EBA. The settlements during the second millennium BC were reduced in size compared to the previous ages. It is noted that during Iron Age; there was a big settlement exceeding the conic hill. Its ancient name is known as Samosate / Samosatum. The name of the EBA city is suggested to be a similar name. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: The EBA levels of the mound uncovered in an very restricted area compared to its extraordinary size yielded such architectural remains: Layer XX yielded two rooms; one small and the other large. Layer XIX/building level was investigated in a wider area than the other levels. A four-cornered room and interrupted remains of walls were uncovered. The construction technique employed big stones in the outer walls and cobbles in between [Özgüç (N) 1988:293]. The building level XVIII yielded only one complete structure. The architecture of the level XVII was destroyed by the upper level. A house with three small rooms was revealed. The foundations are built of big stones and cobbles. Pottery: A metallic bowl with a light olive-gray paste was recovered from the building level XX (transition period) while the building level XIX yielded samples of simple Syrian-origin ware; buff and light red colored ware; metallic ware; straw-faced burnished ware; painted ware; reserved slip decorated ware and smoke-staining ware. As paints; eggplant and brown paints on cream color were applied. The forms of miniature jugs; bowls; dishes; small cups and beakers are observed. The level XVIII yielded Syrian-origin simple vessels; metallic vessels; straw-faced burnished vessels; EBA painted vessels of Eastern Anatolia and incision decorated vessels. Also found are sherds of wheel-made fine ware with a pink-beige paste in the Keban region and simple plain ware in the mounds of the Amuq Plain and samples of metallic ware in the building level XVII. Forms of dishes; bowls; cups; beakers and rectangular miniature cups are common [Özgüç 1988:292]. Clay: Almost all levels of EBA yielded game stones and wheels for toy carts; spindle whorls and loom weights in terra cotta. Chipped Stone: Almost all levels of EBA yielded dominant tools like blades; drills and scrapers in silex. Winged spearheads can be considered as weapons. Ground Stone: A stone mace was recovered from the level XIX. The beaker carved into a greenish gray steatite recovered from level XVIII has a conic body. The rim was elaborately fined and the outer surface was polished. A stone hammer was found in the building level XVII. Metal: No significant find was recovered. A fibula in copper/bronze was informed to be found in level XVII. A fishhook and a needle were recovered from the level XIX. Human Remains: Seven graves were uncovered under the floor of the building level XIX. They are all simple pit burials; and have no grave goods. No specific orientation was defined. They house both adult and infant burials. The skeletons arrived; some in a good order; some not. The good ones exposed that they were all buried in a contracted position. Likewise; an adult and an infant were buried into a simple pit grave under the floor of the level XVIII. No grave goods were found. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: The excavations of Samsat are insufficient to illuminate the EBA culture of the Adiyaman region. It cannot be denied that the mound houses significant settlements belonging to this age. Yet; the presence of sherds dating to that period on both the southern and the northern surfaces of the lower city can support this fact. The dimension of the mound measured during the survey could have been based on the remains of the settlements lasted until the end of EBA. It is noted that people lived in small houses built of mudbrick on a stone socle in an economy dominated both by agriculture and trade. It can be said; for now; that burial traditions are intramural. Not only EBA graves; but the graves of other periods are; probably; located on the slopes of the western hills. Samsat; in spite of the significance it has; had been vanished under the waters. |
