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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Tilmen Höyük |
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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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863 m |
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Region:
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Mediterranean |
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Province:
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Gaziantep |
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District:
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Islahiye |
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Village:
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Bostanaga |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Middle |
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| Location: The site lies approximately 10 km east of Islahiye District; in Gaziantep; 1800 m south of Bostanaga Village; north of the road leading to Islahiye. |
| Geography and Environment: Tilmen; located on a desiccated swamp area surrounded by the branches of Karasu River; is 21 m high; and measures 225 m in diameter. However; its original round shape had a diameter of 245 m before the central part extended towards west through time and the mound became ovoid as a result. It measures 200x125 m for now [Alkim 1964:169]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was intermittently excavated between 1958 and 1972 under U.B. Alkim in the name of the University of Istanbul; Turkish Historical Society and Ministry of Culture. Particularly the first layers were opened in a wider area. The cultural layers of EBA MBA-LBA and Iron Age were found in the first trench on the uphill. However; levels of the second millennium BC were only reached at trench D opened in 1962 in the outer courtyard of the second millennium BC palace. As the excavation started in a large area followed by smaller areas in deep soundings; the architectural remains were not well revealed. The virgin soil was reached. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: According to the excavators; stratigraphy of Tilmen is as: Ia-Ib: Iron Age II: Middle and Late Bronze Age III: Early Bronze Age IV: Chalcolithic Age Virgin soil [Duru 1987e:38]. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: Compressed earth floor; and sun-dried mud-brick pieces were revealed in Level IVa by the sounding. Another compressed earth floor and sun-dried brick pieces were revealed in Level IVb and all of these were conflagrated. The floor of Level IVc is greenish in color [Alkim (H) 1973:23; Alkim 1970b:32]. Pottery: Chalcolithic Age levels were found in Level IV during the excavation of the trial trench at the northeast of the mound's summit; opened for fixing the stratigraphy of the site. It is reported that an increase in number of Ubaid sherds was observed at the lowest layers of Level III in the sounding of the MBA palace and a cultural change is observed with the beginning of Level IV. Bright orange wares disappear and a new; painted ware appears. Local Ubaid sherds are abundant among the painted pottery [Alkim 1962:456; 1969b:289; Alkim (H) 1973:23]. Chipped Stone: Flintstone tools were recovered from Level IV. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: The Chalcolithic culture of Tilmen Höyük is compared with Sakçagözü and Yumuktepe due to the pottery characteristics [Alkim 1962:456]. |
