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SAK Magaralari |
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For cave maps and drawings please click on the picture... |
For photographs please click on the photo... |
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Type: |
Cave | |||
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Altitude: |
m | |||
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Depth: |
m | |||
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Length: |
m | |||
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Region: |
Mediterranean | |||
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Province: |
Gaziantep | |||
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District: |
Islahiye | |||
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Village: |
Sakçagözü | |||
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| Location: There are a collection of several caves and rock-shelters northwest of the city of Gaziantep; between 2 and 9 km northeast of the village of Sakçagözü. Some of the caves can be reached via the village road that goes to Kütükoba/Kötüoba and Emirler by way of Sakçagözü. The caves have been identified with numbers following the letters SAK; abbreviation for Sakçagözü. SAK 1-3 lie in the Kütükoba rock-outcrop; 3.5 km from the village while SAK 6-9 are at the foot of the graveyard. SAK 10-13 and 19 are located approximately 9 km northeast; and SAK 16 is 5 km northeast of the village. The possible Lower Palaeolithic habitation site; SAK 17; lies 2 km northwest of the village. |
| Structural Properties and formation : Sakcagözü; particularly northeastward; is very rich in caves; rock shelters and raw material (flintstone beds) as it is a karstic area. The survey in 1995 revealed 11 caves and rock shelters in the vicinity. Located at altitudes between 700 and 1000 m; the mouths of the caves mainly face westward and northwestward. The width of entrances varies between 4 and 20 m. Surface areas range from 50 to 250 m2. Some are located on the terrace below the village's cemetery while the others are situated on Emirler; Catirhöyük and Kütükoba rocks; in the rocky area between Kütükoba and provincial borders of Gaziantep. |
| Research History: A total of 11 caves and rock shelters was found during the survey carried out in the vicinity of Sakcagözü under A. Garrard in 1995; revealing particularly Palaeolithic findings. |
| Findings: Findings uncovered from the caves and rock shelters are mainly from the Middle Palaeolithic Age while SAK 12 had samples from tool industry of the Upper Palaeolithic Age as well as of the Middle Palaeolithic Age. It is likely that one of the caves near the village and shown in list from SAK 6 to 9 is the cave which was previously excavated and yielded Neolithic-Chalcolithic findings and referred to as Sakcagözü Cave in the archaeological literature. |
