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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Yunus |
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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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495 m |
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Region:
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Southeastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Gaziantep |
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District:
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Karkamis |
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Village:
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Yarimca |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Early |
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| Location: The mound lies southeast of Gaziantep and 1.2-1.3 km east-northeast of Karkamis Höyügü [Algaze et al 1994:9]. It is where the village of Eminik (Yunus) is. This village is not indicated on the 1:1 000 000 maps; on the other hand on 1:200 000 maps; Eminlik; Karkamis and Barak are shown side by side. Probably the town of Barak has enlarged combining with the village of Eminik/Eminlik or the village of Eminik has enlarged becoming the town of Barak. The mound; today; might be around the northwest exit of the town. |
| Geography and Environment: The site; within a wide valley of Euphrates; is surrounded by fertile lands. The railway; probably; passes south of this little mound. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: In year 1913; C.L. Woolley has conducted excavations in an area of 20x12 m; on the skirts of the elevation (mound?) where the village of Eminik is settled. The site could not be understood properly due to the technological conditions of 1913; the insufficient documentation of the finds; and the limited area of excavation. The finds; that were published in detail; were taken to the Istanbul Archaeological Museum and are on display in the Sark Eserleri Seksiyonu (Oriental Section). |
| Stratigraphy: It seems that there are 5 building levels according to Woolley's plan of the architectural remains in the excavated area; for now. Mellaart; looking at the plan in the publication; has named these levels as 1; 2a; 2b; 3; and 4 [the chronological chart on Mellaart 1975:16]. He has considered the level including the kilns as the 1st. It has been proposed that in the lower levels; there are kilns in which Halaf pottery were fired; in the upper layers there are structures belonging to a Halafian village [Yakar 1990:74]. Virgin soil was not reached in the excavations. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: In the excavated area; round planned structures with rectangular frontal annexes were found. The round structure that is the most significant architectural plan of Halaf Period was labeled Tholos meaning "Domed Tomb"; establishing an erroneous similarity wth the Aegean. Nothing was explained about the shape of the roof of the round structures with a diameter of 5 m at Yunus. The floors of the structures with stone foundations and mudbrick walls were plastered with clay. It is observed that the mudbrick walls were plastered as well. These round structures might be used as granaries besides being dwellings. The long; rectangular annexes; in front or at sides; were built with the same technique. These may have functioned as antrées or barns. Smaller round structures were discovered as well. Depending on the finds and the construction style; these have been interpreted as kilns. Pebbles and quarry stones were used for the foundations and the walls were built up with mudbrick. They are assumed to be domed. Pottery: Of the pottery found at Yunus; especially the paint-decorated are studied in detail [Dirvana 1944:403-420]. From the thousands of sherds in the Istanbul Sark Eserleri Müzesi; only a few pots could be restored. The assemblage is studied in two groups according to the paste as coarse and fine. Ones with lustrous painted decoration are made out of fine and the others with matt-painted decoration are made out of course paste. The fine paste is not tempered much and is strained. The coarse paste is sand; plant; and chaff tempered. The ceramics were either hand-made or shaped by a slow-wheel (turn-table). Slip is often in the same color with the paste. The surfaces are wet-smoothed; but not burnished. On the painted Halaf wares at Yunus; the colors used for decoration are gray reddish brown; black and yellowish pink on light ground. Pottery is generally fired in domed kilns rather than in open hearths. Firing is fine and the vessels are well-oxidized. On the other hand; the thin paste; dark gray ware seems to be fired in the kilns with insufficient droft of air. Although Woolley mentions pottery with insiced decoration; no such piece was found in the collection of the Istanbul Archaeological Museum [Dirvana 1944:415]. Almost all forms of Halaf ware are found in Yunus repertiore. Deep open bowls with excurving rims; bowls; deep dishes; shallow bowls; carinated jars with excurving rims are some of the forms. As for the decoration motifs; horizontal bands; triangles; checker board; diagonal lines; zig-zags; dots; and Malta crosses are used. Bucrania with upward horns and "mouflon" Ğa motif similar to a bucranium with downward hornsÑare arranged on vessels in a row. The bucrania sometimes appears alone. There are other schematic animal designs without horns. Hands and feet of animal and human motifs are represented by round shapes. This representation is interpreted as a way to depict motion. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Stratigraphy of Yunus is problematic in the present. Although it is yet a question if this site was a mound or not; the chipped stone and ground stone tools are evidence for a settlement. The Halaf Period levels are dated to the second half of 4th Millennium BC; corresponding to Middle/Late Halaf Period; depending on the pottery. However; polichrome Halaf wares could not be recovered here. Since the Halafian levels of Karkamis are not excavated; we do not have information about the interrelations of Yunus and Karkamis in this period. |
