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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Tepecik / Makaraz Tepe |
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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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890 m |
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Region:
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Eastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Elazig |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Tepecik |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Early Middle Late |
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| Location: This site lies approximately 31 km east of the city of Elazig; immediately southwest of the village of Altinova; now flooded by the Keban Dam Lake. The survey code of the site is O 54 / 2. |
| Geography and Environment: Tepecik Höyük; which lies southeast of Altinova is also known as Makaraz Tepe. In many publications; the site is referred to as Tepecik. It is a middle-sized terraced mound; 16-17 m high; with a 200 m diameter. Heringet Stream is believed to have meandered by the mound. Before the land was flooded by the dam lake; this stream fed the Altinova Plain (also known as Ulu Ova). The spring southeast of the site must have supplied the inhabitants of the site with water. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was re-documented under code no. 054-2 during a survey conducted as a part of the Keban Project under R. Whallon and S. Kantman in 1967. The systematic surface collection yielded material of the Chalcolithic Age; the EBA; the second millennium BC; the Iron Age and the Middle Age [Whallon 1979:182-187; fig.81-85]. Excavations were conducted by U. Esin from the University of Istanbul between 1968-74 for 7 seasons until it was inundated. Although Tepecik provided considerable information for Anatolian Archaeology; it vanished before leaving some questions unanswered; like many other sites that were inundated. |
| Stratigraphy: According to the excavation results; continious settlement is observed from the LNA to the Medieveal Age. It has been used as a graveyard in recent years. Virgin soil was reached at 22.55 m of depth. The first settlements are concluded to be founded on the shore of a Pleistocene lake in Altinova. Excavations revealed that the settlements constituting this mound were partially superimposed and had different cores. Chalcolithic Age layers could only be reached in two deep soundings in Trench 8 O and 15 K in the central mound. Late Chalcolithic AgeĞEarly Bronze Age Transition Period was recovered in the southwestern area of the mound (For the whole stratigraphy see. Harmankaya et al. 1997:Tepecik / Makaraz Tepe). Below is the Chalcolithic Age stratigraphy: Trench 8 O; Trench 15 K; Trenches 14-17/AB-A-B Early Chalcolithic Age: 26-21 - (?) Late Chalcolithic Age: 20-14 - 5-3 Late Chalcolithic Age/EBA: 13-9 14-9 2 |
| Small Finds: Architecture: Early Chalcolithic Age: According to the excavator; 21-26th Levels; revealed in water table in the deep sounding of Trench 8 O; below the main eastern section; are dated to the Early Chalcolithic Age due to the finds. Damaged hearth remains and floor pieces were revealed at these levels. The Chalcolithic Age settlement is thought to be extending to the west of the mound; and it could only be partially within the area of Trench 8 O. Late Chalcolithic Age: Almost same finds were recovered from the 14-20th Levels of the same trench. A very small area was excavated; and no architectural remains within a plan could be revealed. However; the trench group at the western terrace of the mound provided information that may enlighten this. A very important complex; that may display the relations between Eastern Anatolia and Mesopotamia; was revealed in Level 3 in the other trenches close to the mound cone. Two contemporary structures were revealed here. The structure; named as "Old Building"; was constructed first; and then "New Building" was built near it. The approximately 10.5x9.5 m new building has two rooms; which are non-symmetrical; at two wings. The only parallel section of the structure is the wide entrance; which faces the local Late Chalcolithic Age settlement. The walls are put up in mud-brick over stone foundation. The floor is paved partly with stone and partly with earth. The roof is assumed to be flat; considering the traditional Eastern Anatolia architecture. The thin and long central room at the center also functioned as a passage way to the courtyard; that is used also as a workshop. The thick wall of another structure was found at the north [Biçakçi:1982]. Pottery: Early Chalcolithic Age: The dark-faced burnished ware and simple coarse ware of the Late Neolithic Age at Tepecik continues in this period together with the new mica slipped ware (see. Harmankaya et al. 1997:Tepecik / Makaraz Tepe). Halafian and Ubaid type paint-decorated and nondecorated sherds were observed to be few in number. Halafian painted sherds were painted with bright brown; red; and black over light colored surface; while the Ubaid painted sherds were decorated with purplish brown matt paint. Flint-scraped bowls; the Coba type; were recovered. Late Chalcolithic Age: Sherds in the wares mentioned above decrease in number in this period. Dark-faced burnished ware and mica slipped ware change into Karaz ware; while the simple coarse ware changes into chaff-faced ware [Esin 1984:75]. Coba bowl sherds are rare. Purplish red line decorations are observed on some of the sherds in chaff-faced ware. The recovery of the sherds of Mesopotamian Uruk ware from the broad elevation; west of the mound cone; is important for the emergence of the Central Anatolian Chalcolithic Age cultures and for revealing that Karaz ware and the Chalcolithic in Central Anatolia are contemporary. Typical Uruk pottery such as Uruk light colored ware; reserve-slipped jars; bevelled rim bowls; and red-gray slipped ware are observed [Esin 1982:88 - 89]. In addition; sherds in Karaz Ware; Central Anatolian wares; cooking wares; and miscellaneous wares were recovered [Moussa:1975]. Clay: There are spindle-whorls and loom weights as well as human and animal figurines. Chipped Stone: The Chalcolithic Age chipped stone industry of Tepecik; overall; is not different from the Neolithic Age. Obsidian is used more than flintstone; with the percentage of 73%. Blades are dominant. A little amount of scrapers; arrowheads; sickles; and microlithic tools are existent [Uzel:1978]. Ground Stone: Pestle; grinding stone; burnishing stone; biley tasi*; and flat axes made of bazalt; marble; and ophiloit were found. Bone / Antler: Almost all types of pins; spindle-whorl out of bone; and antler hammer show how rich the Chalcolithic Age finds are. Metal: Ore and slag pieces were found; which show that copper smelting was known since the Early Chalcolithic Age and that lead production was begun at the end of this age. Abundant copper slags; recovered from the Uruk Period complex west of the mound; suggest that some hearths might be used for this purpose. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: The beginning of the Chalcolithic Age levels of Tepecik is dated to the second half of the 5th Millennium BC; while its end is dated to the end of the 3rd Millennium BC. A 14C example from Uruk settlement was dated to 3570+-90 BC. Existence of all the periods of Eastern Anatolia chronology at the mound may suggest that the fresh water springs were powerful enough to provide the settlers in all periods. The trade and caravan routes support this idea; too. Uruk Period complex at the western terrace probably consisted of structures around a big courtyard and the existence of the monumental door suggests an enclosure wall; surrounding this complex. |
