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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Fistikli 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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485 m |
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Region:
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Southeastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Sanliurfa |
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District:
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Birecik |
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Village:
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Mezraa |
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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 west-southwest of Sanliurfa; about 4 km south of Birecik; 1.5 km north of Mezraa village. The settlement is situated on the left bank of the Euphrates; about 25 km upstream from Karkamis and within the Karkamis Dam area. The site was first described by Algaze as Zeytinli Bahçe Yani I in the previous publications [Algaze et al.1994:45-46;har.5(45 site no)]. |
| Geography and Environment: The site is located on the east end of Euphrates flood plain; at a point close to the limestone bluffs which border the plain. It is a small and shallow mound covering an area of 0.5 ha; maximum 4 m high from the plain. Today; the site is covered with pistachio trees. There are contemporary houses on the southern foot and the slopes of the mound are being cultivated. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: The site was discovered during the Tigris-Euphrates Archaeological Reconnaissance Survey Project conducted by G. Algaze. Systematical surface collection was conducted by S. Pollock and R. Bernbeck in 1998 and the site was excavated in 1999-2000; during the METU TAÇDAM Salvage Project of the Archaeological Heritage of the Ilisu and Carcemish Dam Reservoirs; under the directorship of S. Pollock and R. Bernbeck. |
| Stratigraphy: Three major periods were identified: Hellenistic/Roman; mixed Halaf-Hellenistic/Roman and Halaf. Phase Ia is represented by Roman and/or Hellenistic pits; whereas Phase Ib is characterized by burials. Phase II consists of a context that displays a mixture of Halaf and later material; primarily originating from the digging of pits for burials and robbers' trenches into earlier Halaf levels. Phase IIIa includes Halaf levels; it is the latest well preserved Halaf phase. A water channel was assigned to Phase IV [Bernbeck et al. 2002a:31] |
| Small Finds: Architecture: Units A; D and E excavated during the 1999 season have revealed substantial architectural remains. Three large tholoi and the portions of a smaller tholos; as well as two small round structures were found. The architecture was constructed of pise; usually with stone foundations; and the walls were preserved to a height of 20-50 cm. The repairs can be observed in several instances. Tholos I in Unit D; is the largest tholos yet found in the settlement; with an interior diameter of more than 4 m. The structure has c. 80 cm wide walls and there are benches and a partially preserved partition wall in the interior. Tholos II in Unit A has an interior diameter of 3 m and a pise superstructure on stone foundations. Adjacent to it; a small; round structure with an interior diameter of 0.9 cm; was found. Tholos III; located in the northern part of Unit E; is only represented by stone foundations. Nearby the tholos; a small square structure; constructed of pise; was preserved. In addition; it was determined that prior to the construction of Tholos III; there was a smaller tholos in Unit E measuring 1.40 m in diameter [Pollock et al. 2001:43-45]. In Units I and K; excavated during the 2000 season; earthworks dating to Halaf Period; built from pise and bell-shaped in section; were encountered. One runs WSW-ENE; the other NNW-SSE. Although their function is not very clear; it is suggested that these walls may have served as protective devices against flooding. Units H and I contained large ovens with circular ground plans; hard baked floors and domed superstructures; their floor diameters ranged between 0.80 and 1.20 m. Also in these units; open areas; which are suggested to be used as trash or workshop areas according to the numerous artifacts found; were revealed. The limited amount of the building remains of Unit I include some architectural remains of Tholos V; a sloped massive earthen construction and a cell planned building. Unit L yielded the half of Tholos IV; which measures c. 4 m in internal diameter. Two hearths and a partition wall were found within the clay floored tholos. A cell planned building was also encountered against the tholos. In the latest level of this unit; a single roomed structure was built; using its walls as foundations [Bernbeck et al. 2002a:27-30]. Pottery: The ceramics of Fistikli Höyük were divided into two broad categories as Halaf and post-Halaf. Halaf wares were also divided into two main groups: fine mineral-tempered and vegetal-tempered. Fine mineral-tempered ceramics range from beige to greenish in color with a buff-colored core and smooth surface. The painted categories were divided into two; red and black painted. Vegetal-tempered wares represent close to 70% of the ceramic assemblage. The determined forms include round-rimmed jars or hole-mouth jars; round walled large open bowls; S profiled Büchsen; straight walled bowls and long-necked jars. The painted motifs are cross-hatching; parallel bands; alternating dots and horizontal bands; zigzags; simple dots; cross hatch in diamonds and the Kazana motif. In addition to these; motifs associated with the environment such as bucrania; bird; and humans; are also available [Pollock et al. 2001:47-51] [Bernbeck et al. 2002a:32]. Chipped Stone: Flint cores; flakes; blades and broken pieces; scarpers; notched pieces; denticulated pieces; borers/perforators; transverse arrowheads; and sickle blades were encountered [Pollock et al. 2001:51-52]. The majority of obsidian finds consists of blades. Obsidian perforators or drills were also found [Bernbeck et al. 2002a:32]. Ground Stone: Basalt grinding stones; stone disks; a few spindle whorls; pieces belonging to three stone axes or such tools; a number of calcareous stone vessels; and pierced calcareous stone disks which probably were used as weights or pendants were encountered [Pollock et al. 2001:16-18]. Bone/Antler: Bone awls; spatulas and points were found [Bernbeck et al. 2002a:36]. Clay: Terra cotta human and animal figurines; tokens; jettons and seals were encountered [Pollock et al. 2001:52-55]. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Fistikli Höyük; which was a small settlement occupied in the earlier part of the Halaf Period; was used for a relatively short period of time. After the abandonment in the Halaf Period; the site was not inhabited for several millennia. Isolated finds of the Iron Age suggest a possible use during this age. The mound served as a trash area and burial site during the Hellenistic and Early Roman periods and it was inhabited again in the Medieval period [Pollock et al. 2001:60-61]. The 14C samples from Unit D suggest that Phase IIIc can be dated to c. 5890-5840 cal BC and the samples from Units B and G provide a span for Phase IIIa of 5840-5660 cal. BC. On the basis of these dates; it is suggested that the main Halaf occupation of the site lasted more than three centuries [Bernbeck et al. 2002a: 32]. |
