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Kuriki Höyük

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Kuriki Höyük
Type:
Mound
Altitude:
m
Region:
Southeastern Anatolia
Province:
Batman
District:
Merkez
Village:
Oymatas
Investigation Method:
Excavation
Period:
Late Iron Age

     


Location: This site is 1.1 km southwest of Oymataş Village of Merkez District of Batman City. It is built on the cross section of Batman River and Tigris River. The mound contains 2 hills approximately 70 m apart, namely Kuriki 1 and Kuriki 2 [Genç et al. 2011.142-143].
Geography and Environment: The mound is built on a dominant position over the surrounding areas where water sources are plenty and the land is wide and fertile. Batman River which is flowing from the northwest to the south merges with Tigris in the south and the river continues to flow from northeast. Thus Batman River and Tigris River flow around the Kuriki Mound's both hills like a bow. Kuriki 1 where the first studies are carried out is 85 by 95 m. The mound is 3.5 m high over the plain level in the north and northeast, 8 m high over the river level in the south and west [Genç et al. 2011:143-144]. The studies carried out in 2012 show that both mounds cover an area of 250x100 m [Genç et al. 2014:297].
History:
Research and Excavation: Under the scope of Ilisu and HES Project the excavation for the mound is initiated in 2009 by members of University of Dumlupinar, Cumhuriyet University, University of Ankara and University of Florence [Genç et al. 2011:142].
Stratigraphy: In Kuriki 1 Mound where the initial research was focused 4 layers of settlement is encountered. The oldest settlement is aged as Late 4th Millennium Ğ Early 3rd Millennium before reaching the main soil. The layers are numbered from up to down: I, IIA-B, III, IVA-B. Layer IV is dated as Late 4th Ğ Early 3rd Millennium BC; Layers II and III are dated as the second half of 1st Millennium BC and 2nd Century AC. There is a long period of inactivity after transition period to Late Chalcolithic/EBA (phases IVA-B) and it must have been inhabited again during the Iron Age. This settlement must have continued until 2nd century AD [Genç et al. 2011:144, 147]. During the first two seasons of archaeological work, the archaeologists were able to define a preliminary chronological sequence of the site's occupation, resumed on this scheme 3: - Level 0 (Areas A & B): late/modern pits. - Level I (Areas A & B): late occupation of the stone buildings. - Level II a-b (Areas A & B): main occupation of the so-called Parthian Han (Area A) and the stone buildings of the Area B (ca. middle of the 2nd cent. BCEĞearly 3rd cent. CE). Level IIa corresponds with the foundation of the buildings. Level IIb corresponds with the life of the buildings. - Level III (Area A, Sounding 1-4): occupation phase that precedes the Parthian Han dated back to the Late Iron Age (Achaemenid-Hellenistic period, approximately sec. half of the 1st millennium BC) with probable sporadic traces of mid to late Iron Age occupation, not better identified. - Level IV a-b (Area A, Soundings 1-4 & B, Sounding 5): excavated for 5m deep and divided in two main sub-Levels: - Level IVa (sub-phases IVa1, IVa2): dated preliminarily back to the transition between Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age (Late 4th Ğ Early 3rd millennia BCE); - Level IVb (sub-phases IVb1, IVb2, IVb3, IVb4 until the virgin soil): dated back to the Late Chalcolithic (approximately from half of the 4th millennium BCE) [Genç et al. 2012.464-465]. As the results of the 2011 campaign, a stratigraphy that is parallel with Kuriki Höyük 1 was defined in Area B in Kuriki Höyük B. Although, the natural soil has not yet been reached, the identified levels as follows: - O Modern pits - Level I: Surface finds and pits - Level II: The second half of the 1st millennium BC - Level III: Late Chalcolithic - the beginning of EBA (?) [Genç 2013:230].
Small Finds: Kuriki 1 (Area A) Architecture: Pressurized adobe remains are found in Level I which is heavily destructed. The structures which are 10 cm under the surface soil belong to Level II and have two different architectural places. A large building is unearthed at this layer which is 19.30 m long and 18 m wide. The building has 6 rooms in total with a long corridor in the center dividing the rooms into two groups of three. The building is erected in Northeast-Southwest direction and it's believed that the rooms in the South and North are stair-rooms. The building is rock founded and adobe walled. The room floors are plastered. No door positions could be determined in any of the rooms. Level III is unearthed below the rooms 2 and 4, and below the two parallel walls in the West of room 4. It is believed that the structure of Level II is destructed during its construction [Genç et al. 2011:144-147]. During the 2012 campaign, remains of stone wall and pavement belonging to Level III were exposed in northeastern plan squares. On the south slope, remains of structure with two phases were encountered. One of the structure is 18 m in length and 1.50 m in width [Genç et al. 2014:293]. During the 2013 excavations carried out in the southern skirts of the mound, remains belonging to IA settlement were exposed. IA settlement consists of three building levels. The structure with a length of 20 m and a width of 11 m was found in the uppermost level IIIA-B. The structure was built in accordance with the topography and it extends in the northeast-southwest direction. It is revealed that the structure consists of four rooms in the upper terrace and three rooms in the lower terrace. Two rounded stone bases were found in the western room located in the upper terrace. The stone paved floor of one of the rooms in the center was plastered in black. Similar kind of plaster was applied on the floor of the eastern room in the lower terrace as well. A plastered floor was exposed in the building level IIIC. Only the south wall built with stone of the room is preserved. The floor of this room is black plastered as the ones exposed in the upper levels. There is a stone base by the wall. A pierced stone buried under the floor was found in the middle of the plastered floor. Kuriki Höyük is located near Bogazköy bitumen source on the skirt of Mount Batman-Raman. Although it is not yet known where the bitumen has obtained, it is possible to suggest that the inhabitants of Kuriki Höyük was aware of petroleum and they used this material in their dwellings as insulating material during IA [Genç et al. 2015:462-463]. In 2014, a large silo measuring 3 m in diameter and 1.50 m in depth was found in Level III. No remains were found except from traces of fire. However, the potsherds dound in the fill indicate that the silo is dated to Early IA [Genç 2016:169]. Pottery: Among the captured finds are pieces of wheel-made, painted and monochrome pottery found in Level I; one piece of a glazed bowl and many pieces of pots, lamps, bull/ram formed rhytons found in Level II within the room embankment of the large building [Genç et al. 2011:144-147]. The majority of potsherds belonging to the building level IIIA-B found during the 2013 excavations consist of wheel made and thin walled wares. In addition to these, coarse wares with grit temper were found. There are vessels with thickened out rims and jars with grooved rims known from the Neo-Assyrian Period among the forms. In the building level IIIC, bowls and jars with grooved rims known from Early IA were found along with wheel made wares [Genç et al. 2015:463]. Various finds were recovered in 2014. Handmade, grooved or knobbed rim were generally found in the pits. The vessels with grooved rims, necked jars with thickened out rims and two cylindirical seals depicting a hunt scene recovered from the rooms with bitumen plastered floor in the south slope of Mound 1 represent Neo-Assyrian Period [Genç 2016:168-169]. In 2015, Early IA painted sherds with grooved rims and two vessels (one is in the form of IA vessels and the other one is Assyrian), egg-shaped glass with bitumen remains and an Assyrian goblet with knobbed base and a cylindirical seal depicting a ritual along with the bitumen plastered floor fragments were found in the refuse pits in Level III [Genç-Köse 2017:284]. Clay: Among the captured finds are bead/reel and spindle whorl found in Level I; unbaked spindle whorls found in Level II; a piece of a baked earth goddess figurine found in Level III [Genç et al. 2011:144-147]. Chipped stone: Basaltic grinding stones and doorway stones found in Level I [Genç et al. 2011:144-147]. Ground stone: Flintstones and obsidian tools are captured in Level I [Genç et al. 2011:144-147]. Metal: Among the captured finds are a bronze arrow head, a piece of a bronze fibula and a bronze needle found in Level I; a bronze handle-shaped fibula piece and an iron arrow head found in Level II [Genç et al. 2011:144-147]. Kuriki 2 (Area B) Architecture: A great number of pits in different size and depths were discovered in Level I which has been heavily damaged by the modern pits and agricultural activities. The remains of buildings with stone foundation belonging to Level II were exposed just below the surface. These buildings have been destructed by the pits in Level I and agricultural activities. However, the plans of Room A, which is in G/6-7 plan square, and Room B located in the center of the plan squares of G-F/6-7 could be identified. Room A measures 4.60x2.60 m. The thickness of the wall is 80 cm and a single row of the wall that was built with simple stones was preserved up to date. Only the second row of the northwest wall was preserved. In 2011, the studies were carried out in unexcavated areas of the structure. The wall erected slightly smaller stones, which extends parallel to the structure in the southwest of Room A, belongs to the second phase of Room A. The thickness of the wall is 60 cm and the plan of this structure has not yet been determined. A solid floor was exposed in the southeast of Room A. It is possible that this compacted floor made out of small pebbles and potsherds was used as a pathway / passage. The remains belonging to Level II, which were exposed in Area in 2012, compose of oven floors paved with stone and a few rows of wall showing no particular plan [Genç et al. 2014:294]. In 2013, some wall fragments and remains of a stone pavement belonging to Level II were exposed in Area B. The stone wall extends in the northeast-southwest direction and only some parts of it were preserved up to date [Genç et al. 2015:464]. In 2014, building remains with mud brick blockage belonging to Late IA/Persian Period were exposed in Area B. Since these remains were damaged due to agricultural activities, only foundations could be exposed. The foundations supported with mud brick blockage were built with opening a foundation pit and then this pit fillled with mud brick and encircled with a single row of stone in order to protect the form. No remins left from the building except from the foundation. However, similar buildings can be seen along the south slope in Kuriki 1 and Kuriki 2 [Genç 2016:170]. In 2015, 8 different plan squares were excavated. The borders of the building that was exposed in 2014 are enlarged in 2015. Only the north exterior wall and the foundation of the building preserved. The existence of mud brick remains on some walls indicates that the walls were built with mud brick on stone foundation. The plan of the building is not yet clear. The radiocarbon analyses of the carbonized seed samples taken from the silo, which cuts the walls, indicate the dates 760-400 BC. It is possible that this large building was abandoned before this period [Genç-Köse 2017: 285]. The Areas Opened Between Two Mounds Within the scope of the 2011 campaign, the studies were carried out in two areas (labeled D and C), which were opened in order to understand the expansion area of the settlement, located between the mounds. These areas yielded remains of architecture that could be associated to Level II of both mounds. Area D: A large number of pits belonging to Level I were exposed in G/10 plan square that measures 10x10 m on the eastern slope of Kuriki Höyük 2. However, no other architectural remains were encountered. During the 2012 campaign, a structure extending in the northwest-southeast direction was found in Area D. The walls of the structure were preserved up to 50 cm high [Genç et al. 2014:295]. During the studies conducted in Area D in 2013, three levels were determined. The area yielded a great number of pits. Level II has been damaged due to these pits. In this level, architectural remains, which bear the characteristics of a defense wall, with a length of 26 m and a width of 6.10 m were exposed [Genç et al. 2015:465]. Area C: J/12 plan square measuring 10x5 is located at the center of both mounds. Level I yielded pieces of stone walls showing no particular architectural plan and pits. Level II has two phases as it is seen in other areas. The exposed structure extends in the northeast-southwest direction and it was preserved up to 3.20 in length. The southwestern edge of the structure continues towards the unexcavated area. The thickness of the wall, only a single row of which is intact, is about 50 cm. Large stones were used on one face of the wall and the other face was built with smaller stones. The other wall remains located in the west of the trench extend towards the unexcavated area. In 2012, a two-roomed structure was unearthed in Area C. The structure has two phases [Genç et al. 2014:295]. Area E: It is located on the southwestern slope of Kuriki Höyük 1. 7 cist graves and 3 simple earth graves were exposed just below the surface of N/16 plan square measuring 10x10 m. Two of the earth graves have been damaged due to agricultural activities. The capstones of the cist graves, except one, were removed. The cist graves were made of flat limestone and they extend in the northeast-southwest direction. These graves were used several times. The excavations conducted in the west and est of the area in 2012 show that the cemetery extends towards the south slope of the mound in Area A. 20 graves were exposed in total. 12 of these graves are cist graves; 6 are simple earth graves and 2 are jar burials. The graves extends in the northeast-southwest or east-west direction [Genç et al. 2014:295]. In 2012, wall remains, oven and hearth floor belonging to Level II were unearthed in Area F and G that were opened in the south slope of the settlement. In Area H, which is located on the south slope of Area B, wall remains belonging to Level II were found. However, these walls were not well-preserved [Genç et al. 2014:296]. In 2015, two trenches (one is in the west, one is in the east) were excavated in Area E (Necropolis). The finds found in this area indicate that the necropolis was used between 760 BC and 60 AD. In 2015, three cist graves, three simple earth graves and one burial pit were exposed. One of these graves contains finds. Two individuals were detected in one of the cist graves. All of them have the same orientation together with the simple earth graves. All of them face the east. In the simple earth grave in the western slope of the mound, an in situ iron dagger was found on the chest of an adult. The burial pit is in the west of the necropolis and it contains an individual in hocker position placed in the corner. In the western section of the necropolis, highly ashy soil and animal bones (some of which are burnt) were determined. There are also rows of walls. This suggests that the west section might have been used as an area where the burial food was cooked during the interment process [Genç-Köse 2017:285-286]. Pottery: Level I wares found in Area B show different characteristics, from Middle IA to Sassanian Period. The wares that are similar to the ones found in Neo-Assyrian and Post-Assyrian settlements, Late IA-Hellenistic painted potsherds bearing triangle and rippled decoration and glazed wares were found in Level I. Among Level II wares monochrome potsherds are common. A few painted wares were found. All of the wares are wheel made. The wares have reddish yellow, light red/pink paste and they are generally self-slipped. These well fired potsherds are fine sand, calcite and mica tempered. The most common types are straight shouldered and carinated bowls, jars with thickened out rims and narrow, short necked jars. Painted wares bear linear decoration applied in reddish gray on light red. The wares recovered from Area D have red, light red, pink, reddish yellow and brown paste and they're self-slipped. All of them are wheel made. Bowls with horizontal grooves, bowls and jars with inverted and thickened out rims, jars whose rims have two or three grooves are frequently seen. One painted body sherds, on the other hand, is decorated with horizontal bands. Level I in Area C yielded wares belonging to different periods. The wares belonging to Level II share similarities with Level II wares of Area B in terms of type and technique. A few pithoi sherds were also found. Clay: The pits belonging to Level I in Area B yielded a great number of baked and unbaked weights. 12 of them were discovered as a group in the pit in Trench G/7. Among these weights, there are painted weights decorated with triangles. A cylinder seal made of baked clay was found in Trench F/6 in the north of Room B belonging to Level II. A horse or dog (?) with bird tail was vertically applied on the face of the seal. Among the surface finds of Area C, there is a baked clay plaque. A woman and a child figure were depicted on the front face of the plaque. There is also a snake motif between these figures. Chipped Stone: A large number of hammer axes, flint and obsidian tools were recovered from Level I in Area B. Level I in Area C yielded cutting tools made of flint. In Area E, flint and obsidian tools were recovered from the surface. Ground Stone: There are a lot of ground stones among the finds recovered from Area B in Level I. Grinding stone made of basalt were also found in Area C in Level I. Human Remains: The number of the individuals found in the graves in Area E is 16 in total. 13 of them were found in the cist graves, while the rest of them were discovered in simple earth graves. In the graves containing more than one burial, the skeleton belonging to first burial were piled up in one corner and free space were made for new burials. New burials wee inhumed in hocker position. The baby burial found in the well preserved earth grave was inhumed in hocker position as well. The graves exposed in Area E in 2012 contain burials in hocker position. Most of the graves belong to single burials. The jar burials yielded remains belonging to a child and an infant [Genç et al. 2014:295-296]. Grave Goods: A few grave goods were found in the graves located in Area E. Among the finds, there are bronze bracelets, one of which is snake headed, stone and glass beads, bronze earrings, iron rings, piercing tools and a painted trefoil-jug [Genç 2013]. The graves unearthed in Area E in 2012 yielded bronze hoops, an iron ring and an iron scissors. Bronze bracelets with snake-head, rings and hoops were found in simple earth graves [Genç et al. 2014:296].
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating: The preliminary study of the pottery suggests no significant difference exist between the two levels except the relative larger occurrence of fine wares in the more recent layers. Similar typology of the vessels and manufacturing techniques continue to be documented throughout the sequence attesting the existence of a local production without sensible change due to external interferences. It is difficult to give precise chronological periods to the layers of the sequence, at the moment: on the basis of comparisons with other sites, and waiting the results of the radiocarbon dates from collected samples, we can preliminary assign the repertoire to the span of time comprised approximately between mid 4th millennium BCE (maybe from Late Chalcolithic 3) and late 4th to early 3rd millennia BCE (transition between Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age-pre Ninivite 5 period). The remains of poor structures and connected facilities, together with the pottery and other kinds of objects, seems to confirm the domestic activities performed in this area and suggest some continuity in occupation during the Late Chalcolithic with a similar settlement pattern [Genç et al. 2012:470]. The 2011 excavation campaign shows that Level II occupation, which is discovered in all excavation areas, spread over a large area. It is suggested that the major occupation was settled in Kuriki Höyük 2 and around and the southern slope was used as cemetery. The size and the technique of two large structures found in Kuriki Höyük 1 indicate that this area was built for special purposes. With its architecture and small finds, Kuriki Höyük shares similarities with the regional cultures of the settlement systems in Dicle-Batman Plain [Genç 2013:233]. The palaeopathological data obtained from the skeletons found in Kuriki Höyük indicates that the inhabitants of Late Chalcolithic / EBA and 1st millennium BC settlements had similar living conditions and life styles [Açikkol Yildirim et al. 2014:207]. The result obtained during the 2013 studies as follows: The first occupation dated to Late Chalcolithic and EBA is represented by a single building level in Area B and two separate building levels with 6 sub-phases in Area A. The second occupation is dated to IA. This occupation consists of three different building levels. The vessels with groove decoration belonging to Early IA are only seen in Area A. Therefore, the first occupation was founded in Area A during IA and then occupation area extended towards both mounds and the surrounding area [Genç et al. 2015:465-466].


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