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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Karaoglan |
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Type:
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Mound |
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Altitude:
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1155 m |
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Region:
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Central Anatolia |
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Province:
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Ankara |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Karaoglan |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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| Location: It is located to the Karaoglan Village; close to the southeastern end of the Lake Mogan; 25 km south of the Ankara Province. |
| Geography and Environment: It is located where the trade roads running to the southwest and southeast from Ankara intersect in a watery valley. It is an oval hill measuring 18-20 m in height and 260x180 m in dimensions. It has been severely destroyed by the local villagers removing the stones [Arik 1939:27]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was first introduced in 1937 by A. Inan, and excavations were initiated within the same year. The excavations lasted until 1942 under the direction of R.O. Arik, who indicated that the excavations were initiated due to the presence of surface finds from the 2nd Millennium BC. |
| Stratigraphy: The stratification was largely determined by a trench on the western slope. The following five layers were identified: Layer I: Classical Period Layer II: Iron Age Layer III: Hittite Layer IV: transition from the 3rd Millennium to the 2nd Millennium BC Layers V, Va and Vb: EBA II Layer Vc: Chalcolithic Age [Arik 1948:47]. The main EBA levels were reached after 9.4 m. Traces of a massive fire are observed on the layer V. |
| Small Finds: Pottery: The samples of Phrygian pottery are divided into two basic groups; monochrome and painted wares. The paste of the monochrome ware is either dark colored or light colored such as red, pink, yellow and cream. The dark pasted ware is also divided into slightly dark, very dark or black colored wares. The form of the vessels does not change depending on the color of the paste. Similar forms were made of both pastes. The outer surfaces of both groups are burnished. The burnish particularly on the dark or black colored ones give a metallic impression to them. The painted slips of the light colored pastes have always the same color with the paste. Depending on the use, the vessel may be slipped on the inside and outside or only slipped on the outside. An interesting point about these wares is that most of them have several holes as indicators of repairs. The second group consisting of painted ware are smaller than monochrome ware in quantity. They are painted in red, pink, black, and orange usually applied on a pink pasted body with a cream slipped background. The decorations in such colors mainly consist of geometric motifs. Some fragments bear scenes with plant and animal figures. It appears that the potters were cautious about the harmony of geometric motifs with the vessel's form. Some concentric thick circles were drawn in red in a plate; and large lozenge motifs were painted in large and adjacent metopes on the cream colored surface of a two handled jug. Some fragments are decorated with large dots, thick and wavy lines. Although a few number of thick walled pithoi was uncovered, they are regarded as a separate group of wares. They are made of coarse paste in light colors. The relief decorations and thumb impressions on their handles or on both sides of the handles are very noteworthy [Arik 1939:pl.XLIX]. One of them is a handle consisting of two "T"s, one being longer, with a joint center, which is wide and fluted; the upper lateral ends of "T"s look like relief knobs; down at the very bottom of the flute is a large knob, and two large knobs flanking the flute. It seems that the reliefs imitate the metalic ware, achieving the quality of an actual plastic art. In addition to these three groups, there are coarse cooking pots. However, majority of them are very fine, made elaborately reflecting characteristics of the time. Trefoil mouth, high and circular handles stemming from the rim, and joining to the body and low circular pedestals are among the remarkable features in the ceramics found. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: |
