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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Korucutepe |
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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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900 m |
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Region:
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Eastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Elazig |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Asagi Içme |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Early Iron Age |
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| Location: It was located next to the Asagi Içme Village; 30 km east of the Elazig Province [van Loon 1987a:pl.1]. It is coded under 0 55/1. |
| Geography and Environment: It was one of the biggest mounds of the Altinova Plain. It measured 16 m in height and 190 m in diameter before flooded by the Keban Dam. It is referred to as Asagi Içme in some publications [Meriggi 1967:280]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was introduced by C.A. Burney. And, it was redocumented during the 1967 survey which was conducted to identify the findspots that would be flooded by the Keban Dam reservoir [Whallon 1979:241]. It was excavated under the direction of M.N. van Loon and H. Güterbock between 1968 and 1971 as it would have been flooded. The excavations continued from 1973 until 1975 under the direction of H. Ertem, who mainly focused on the layers related with the 2nd Millennium BC. |
| Stratigraphy: The excavations revealed 12 phases, which are as follows: Phase A: First Chalcolithic Age Phase B: Late Chalcolithic Age Phase C: First Bronze Age I-IIa Phase D: First Bronze Age IIb Phase E: First Bronze Age IIIa Phase F: First Bronze Age IIIb Phase G: Middle Bronze Age I Phase H: Middle Bronze Age II Phase I: Late Bronze Age I Phase J: Late Bronze Age II Phase K: Iron Age Phase L: Middle Age |
| Small Finds: Architecture: The excavations on the western slope of the mound yielded architectural structures related with the Early Iron Age. The vessels recovered in situ from the floors of these structures are significant in providing information about the main architectural characteristics. It seems that the Late Bronze Age structures were in use during the early phases of the Early Iron Age. Several structures with certain or uncertain plans were uncovered during the excavations. The trench H17-18 yielded remains of walls with a single row of stones in an uncertain plan just above the burnt deposit. In addition to these foundations, a kiln was uncovered along with several pottery decorated with incisions. Again, large structures with stone foundations were unearthed. Pottery: A wide variety of vessels (decorated, undecorated, washed, grooved, non-grooved, burnished, etc.) dating to the Early Iron Age was unearthed in these architectural structures. Those vessels are very similar to the ceramics found at Norsuntepe. A pithos with three knobs, a groove decorated red-washed jug, and a funnel-shaped vase were found in situ in the floor of the Early Iron Age architecture. Also found is a 1.17 cm high storage jar buried into the floor. Next to this jar was a blade with a perforated handle. A handmade groove decorated jug was found inside a niche on the wall. Seal: There was a cylindirical seal next to two rectangular seals. One of the seals bears the motif a winged djinn, well-known from Urartians. Miscellanous: Among the small finds uncovered at Korucutepe, the noteworthy ones are metal, particularly the iron finds, which include blades, sickles, "willow leaf" arrowheads, and an iron fibula. Also found are a conical spindle whorl made of chloric stone, and two heavily damaged terracotta figurines, one with a male and another with an animal depiction. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Korucutepe was an important site, particulary during the Hittite Period. The region in which Korucutepe is located is known as the Land of Isuwa. It is generally accepted that the southern border of the land is delimited by the Murat Suyu. And Isuwa was probably delimited by the Euphrates to the west and southwest, with its uncertain southeastern extension reaching up to the Upper Mesopotamian plain and the upper basin of the Tigris River. The finds indicate that it was occupied during the Early Iron Age and Middle Iron Age. The surveys and excavations conducted within the framework of the Keban and subsequent Lower Euphrates projects have partially shed light on lack of information about the prehistoric and historic periods of the region. The site has been already flooded by the reservoir waters of the Keban Dam. |
