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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Coba Höyük / Sakçagözü |
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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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620 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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Nurdagi |
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Village:
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Sakçagözü |
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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: It lies 3 km northwest of the Sakçagöz (Keferdiz) Village; west-northwest of the Gaziantep Province. |
| Geography and Environment: It measures 9 m in height together with the bedrock and 140x90 m in dimensions. It is one of the medium sized mounds of the Southeastern Anatolia region. The cultural deposit is reported not to exceed 6 m. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: The recovery of the reliefed orthostates in 1907 attracted the attentions; and caused the excavations conducted on the mound; known as "Mound A"; in 1908. The limited work time of Garstang's team; the existence of the orthostates; and the smallness of the mound caused the excavations start at this mound instead of other more important and big mounds [Garstang 1908:100Ğ101]. After a break; excavations were continued in 1911. The last excavation in Coba Höyük (or Jubba Huyuk as Garstang says) was conducted by J. Waechter with J. du Plat Taylor and M.V. Seton-Williams for the British Archaeology Institute in 1949 [du Plat Taylor et al. 1950:53-138]. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: The excavations conducted by Garstang aimed to reveal the upper levels (Post Hittite Period) of the mound. Although Late Neolithic AgeĞEarly Chalcolithic Age level on the bedrock was not reached; the exact stratigraphy of the mound was acquired after the 1947 excavations (First level's finds are reported in Harmankaya et al. 1950:53 Ğ 138): I: Pre-Halafian II: Samarra-Early Halafian Period III: Late Halafian (Developed Halafian) Period IV: Ubaid Period V: Uruk Period (debatable) Ğ Jemdet Nasr Ğ Early Dynasty Period VI-VIII: Habur Period IX: SyriaĞHittite Period X-XI: PostĞHittite (Iron Age) XII: Medieveal Age pits. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: Many; 13-15 cm thick; clay floors and wattle-and-daub traces; observed at Level II; suggest that the inhabitants were living in hut-like buildings [du Plat Ttaylor 1950:76]. No remains of planned structure could be found. Traces of a rectangular room with a clay floor were revealed in Level III. The thickness of the floor is 5 cm. The walls with stone foundation are thought to be made of pise. Level IV consists of 3 building levels. Structures built of pise or wattle-and-daub walls were revealed. There are many superimposed floors. Some of them are damaged; because they were rebuilt. Rectangular hearth places and clay niches were observed. The building plans could not be understood; because the trench was too small. Two building phases were also observed at Level V; but a clear plan could not be acquired. Pottery: Local plain wares are existent in Level II. The dark-faced burnished ware is dominant. A transition from flat rimmed; shallow bowls to bowls with round bodies and flaring rims is observed. The emergence of Painted Samarra ware and the Early Halafian painted vessels suggests the transition from LNA to the Early Chalcolithic Age. There are decorations such as matt or light burnished red or black painted band; maeanders; broken lines; and branch patterns. Similar ones are existent at Samarra; Baghouz; Nineve; and Hassuna. Deep bowls are observed for the first time among the Halafian painted vessels. There are not many Halafian painted sherds when compared to the third level. In addition; there are sherds of gray and red ware; burnish-decorated; hard ware; and brown and black instrument-impressed ware besides the two ware groups. All kinds of Tell Halaf pottery is observed in Level III. In addition; sherds of other ware groups were recovered. Vessels recovered from the Level IV were named as Coba bowl; because they were found here for first time [du Plat Taylor et al. 1950:95Ğ96]. The number of Ubaid painted vessels increase at IV b. Clay: Seals and beads were recovered from Level II. Chipped Stone: Burins; backed blades; and scrapers were found at Levels I and III. Ground Stone: Stone vessels; flat axe; burnishing stones from Level II; and stone vessels were recovered from the Level III. Other: Strings of shell beads were recovered from Level III. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: The stratigraphy of Coba Höyük is studied in three phases in ASPRO: Level II as Phase 7; Level III as Phase 8; and IVa-b is identified as Phase 9 [Hours et al. 1994:298Ğ299]. Coba Höyük and the other mounds on Amuq Plain have been leading sites for many years in the prehistoric chronology of Southeastern Anatolia. |
