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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Fikirtepe |
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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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Flat Settlement |
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Altitude:
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26 m |
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Region:
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Marmara |
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Province:
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Istanbul |
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District:
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Kadiköy |
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Village:
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Merkez |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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Ceramic |
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| Location: This site is in Istanbul in the neighborhood of Fikirtepe of the district of Kadiköy. The exact location of the site is not reported. The connection between the Late Neolithic finds and the Palaeolithic finds at this site is ambiguous. |
| Geography and Environment: Kansu conducted research at the ceramic Neolithic site of Fikirtepe; probably around the Kurbagali Stream. The site is now completely destroyed by modern settlement. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: The site was discovered in 1908 by railroad-worker; Miliopulos. The surface material was then studied by A.D. Mordtmann [Mordtmann 1907:11]. These finds were then bought by T.J. Arne along with the Pendik-Temenye finds and taken to the Stockholm National Museum [Arne 1922:114]. The finds were then restudied in Sweden and published by M.O. Janse [Janse 1925:166-171]. Przeworsky and K. Bittel have also contributed to the extensive discussions on the dating and assignments of these finds [Przeworsky 1936:78; Bittel 1942:164-165]. A surface survey was conducted under the direction of A.M. Mansel; K. Bittel and H. Çambel for the Turkish Historical Society in 1942. The first archaeological excavation at the site; where 6 trenches exposed 480 square meters in a 70x140 m area; was conducted between 1952-54. In 1962; S.A. Kansu dug three additional deep soundings. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. |
| Stratigraphy: Virgin soil was reached in all trenches excavated during Mansel's excavation. It has been reported that the cultural depositional layer in the flat areas is 50-60 cm thick; although this can reach 1 meter in low; ravine areas. The upper layers of the site had been damaged by plowing. Occasional modern trash pits suggest that the area must have been temporarily inhabited after the Neolithic. The Neolithic habitation at the site is comprised of a single occupational phase. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: The excavations yielded many patches of different colored soils; burnt layers; mudbrick and plaster fragments and pebble/gravel lined floors. The soil discolorations suggest that there were round or oval huts with 2-5 m diameters and sunken floors. These huts appear to have been built in no particular orientation or order; each a couple of meters away from another. They have no foundations. Posts placed directly in the ground or on stones must have supported the upper parts of the huts although no post-holes were found. The burnt clay and mudbrick fragments indicate that the walls of the huts were plastered with clay and mudbrick plaster after being covered with twigs and small branches. Pottery: The ceramics found at this site are hand-made and have sand and grit tempering. The surface colors are usually lead-color; reddish-brown and mottled black; although mottled red; dull orange and black surfaces can also be found. Slip is rare. Bowls with S-contours as well as compressed sphere-shaped jars are the most common types of bowls. Closed forms; high forms with slightly protruding lips; and box-shaped forms were frequently found. Some of the box-shaped vessels have been placed on round feet while others lie on a low pedestal. These boxes come in a variety of shapes: some have long bodies and some with unproportionally large handles. Their purpose is not known. Similarly; two or even four large handles have been found on jars with utilitarian shapes. Some of these handles have single or double piercing. In addition to such handles; tubular lugs have been attached to some vessels. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristics of the Pendik/Fikirtepe Neolithic horizon style is the incised decoration on the vessels. All of the box-shaped vessels have incised decoration. Therefore it can be concluded that vessels of some importance have this type of decoration while utilitarian vessels such as cooking ware lack it completely. Some of the incisions have been incrusted in with white-plaster making the decoration more noticeable. While the most common incised decoration motifs consist of lines of adjacent triangles and rectangles; and bands; simple zigzags; rays and checkers are present. Clay Finds: Some fired; roughly made animal figurines have been found. Chipped Stone: The chipped stone tools; most of which have been made from flint; characteristically resemble the northwest Anatolian Epipalaeolithic horizon style. Obsidian finds are very rare. Rounded scrapers; geometric micro-tools; and steeply retouched blades are among the finds. Ground Stone: The number of ground stone tools that were found during the excavation and that were taken to Sweden by Arne is relatively low. The number of celts found in different sizes may have been used as chisels or adzes. Some have been made for direct hand-use without the addition of a handle. In addition to spherical stones which may have been used as sling stones or hammering stones; pounders; pestles; mortars and grinding stones have been found. The number of examples are minimal. Perhaps the only non-utilitarian ground stone piece is a marble ring which may have had a decorative purpose. Antler/Bone: This category is also limited in terms of finds. Awl perforators are the most common bone tools found; although spoons; spatulas; scrapers; chisels and spears/harpoons have been found. These bone/antler weapons and tools are rare. Human Remains: Similar to the neighboring site of Pendik-Temenye; the dead was buried beneath the floors of houses at the site of Fikirtepe. Burials are mostly in flexed position with arms folded at the elbows and both hands by chin or face. No particular orientation has been followed. With the exception of one burial; no grave goods were offered. In one grave; a wooden spoon a small animal figurine and a footed vessel were found. Fauna: The animal remains from Fikirtepe were analyzed. This analysis allowed for the documentation of some of the faunal-life in the Marmara Region in the Neolithic Period [Boessneck-Driesch 1979]. It has been determined that sheep; goat; cattle and pig had been domesticated. Dolphin and bones of 13 different species of fish were found. Of these fish; seven are saltwater species while six are bones of freshwater fish. Gray mullet; bass; small mackerel; gilt-head; red gurnard; pike; and sweet water perches were the fish species that were identified. In addition to the domesticated animal bones and the fish bones; the inhabitants of Fikirtepe must have been good hunters because excavation also yielded bones of many wild species. Deer; wild-pig; wild-cattle are among the most commonly hunted animals. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: The assignment of this site to a period is much debated. Although initially it was assigned to a pre-Troy; Chalcolithic Period; Mellaart; French and Özdogan assign it to earlier periods. Both Mellaart and French agree that Fikirtepe is Late Neolithic in date. Mellaart believes that it is contemporaneous with Hacilar IX-VI [Mellaart 1967:15-17]. French made a map of the extent of the Fikirtepe horizon style in the Marmara Region [French 1967:56;67]. Özdogan; on the other hand; who analyzed the Fikirtepe finds for his doctoral thesis; believes that the Fikirtepe pottery is contemporaneous with the end of East Çatalhöyük and the beginning of Hacilar [Özdogan 1979]. This debate was concluded and the dating of Fikirtepe material was clarified when Fikirtepe material was found in the Ilipinar excavations near Lake Iznik. |
