©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project

Karain Magarasi

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Karain Mağarası
Type:
 Cave
Altitude:
 360 m
Region:
 Mediterranean
Province:
 Antalya
District:
 Merkez
Village:
 Yagca
Investigation Method:
 Excavation
Period:
 Early Middle Late

     

Location: This cave site is approximately 27 km northwest of the city of Antalya; immediately northeast of the village of Yagca. It is connected to Antalya with an asphalt road and easy to reach. Code V 19 / 1.
Geography and Environment: The cave is a natural hollow carved into the steep karstic limestone flanks of Mount Çadir Tepesi; an extension of Mount Katran (Çam). The cave consists of three different spacious galleries. The outermost first gallery that receives the most light is divided into five different chambers and labeled A; B;C and D. According to the finds; it was understood that all of these chambers were not inhabited during the Chalcolithic.
History:
Research and Excavation: The Karain cave-site was discovered by Kiliç Kökten and his student; Fikret Ozansoy; in 1946 during a side survey they conducted while doing research at the Gurma (Kurma) Cave in the Antalya Region. When the cave was discovered; it was difficult to enter because the entrance was blocked by a thick travertine wall. After blasting the travertine with dynamite the cave was widely investigated. As a result of the chipped stone finds encountered on the present floor of the cave Kökten has decided to excavate the cave. The excavation was started in 1946 in Chamber A which had the most light. The excavations conducted under Kökten's direction continued until 1972. Chalcolithic Age sherds were recovered at the uppermost level of Galleries B and E during the 1946-72 excavations. Excavations were halted for over a decade following Kökten's death in 1974. The trenches were reopened in 1985 by Isin Yalçinkaya; a member of Kökten's excavation team; who wanted to further understand the chipped stone sequences; the stratigraphy; the faunal and floral assemblages of the site. It was interpreted that the cave was settled for a long time at this age. Chalcolithic sherds were recovered at an area of 4 square meters; 13 m away from the entrance and from Kökten's trenches; during the excavation conducted by I. Yalçinkaya in 1985. The Chalcolithic Age stratigraphy of the cave was obtained [Yalçinkaya 1987:23]. Excavation project led by Yalçinkaya became international as H.J. Müller-Beck from the University of Tubingen and M. Otte from the University of Liege joined the team. The team excavated the site until 2014 and in 2015 H. Taskiran took over the project. Karain Cave is listed an officially registered archaeological site by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Stratigraphy: 12 levels; showing the three main archaeological levels; were revealed on top of the Late Palaeolithic Age levels; during the excavations of Yalçinkaya. From bottom to top: Level I: Early Chalcolithic Age; Level II: Middle or Late Chalcolithic Age; Level III: Late Chalcolithic AgeĞEBA and Roman Period finds were recovered. The first and the second levels are reported to be 50 cm thick; while the third level is 20-50 cm thick. There is no information about the features of the deposits of the levels. The Stratigraphy of Gallery B: The results of the recent studies indicate that the stratigraphy of Gallery B consists of deposits belonging to Holocene and Pleistocene. The Holocene levels were labeled as "H" and separated into 5 different geological units. The Pleistocene levels, on the other hand, were assigned as "P" and divided into 10 geological units. This separation is based on geological units. Therefore, they do not represent cultural differences. The Holocene levels as it follows: H.I: The remains belonging to Byzantine and Roman periods as well as modern and recent past. Probably it represents a midden/refuse area belonging to the period in which the terrace of the cave was occupied. H.II: The level containing mixed EBA and Chalcolithic finds. H.III: Mostly Chalcolithic finds. H.IV: Chalcolithic and Late Neolithic. H.V: Late Neolithic. The Pleistocene levels: P.I.1 and P.I.2: Epipalaeolithic. P.I.3: Upper Palaeolithic-Epipalaeolithic transition period. P.II: Upper Palaeolithic. P.III: Middle Palaeolithic-Upper Palaeolithic transition period. P.IV: Karain Type Mousterien P.V: Karain Type Mousterien and Zagros Type Mousterien P.VI: Dominated by flake technology. The usage of the Levallois technique beginning from P.IV continues in P.VI as well. P.VII: Karain Type Mousterien P.VIII: 6 retouched flakes, 4 side scrapers, 1 denticulated tool and 4 cores were found. P.IX: 9 side scrapers, 1 Levallois point, 5 retouched flakes, 1 retouched blade, 1 denticulated tool and 1 notched side scraper were found. P.X: 5 side scrapers, 2 Mousterien points, 1 notched and 1 retouched flake, 1 denticulated tool were found. Side scrapers are common. P.XI: 1 side scraper, 2 typical Mousterien points were found [Yaman 2012].
Small Finds: Architecture: There were no structural remains revealed inside the cave. Pottery: Chalcolithic Age sherds of the cave have been studied by J. Seeher in detail [Seeher 1988:221-225]. Level I: Sherds of handmade; high sand and grit-tempered; well burnished; red; light red; reddish brown faced; fine ware were recovered. Open bowls and bowls with inverted rims are observed to be dominant. Decorated vessels and vessels with vertical and horizontal pierced lugs are existent. An S-profile bowl; with a pierced lug in the shape of a wild goat's head is the most interesting piece of this ware. Seeher reports that such handles are also existent at Demircihöyük [Seeher 1988:222]. Red paint decorated over crème slipped sherds of Hacilar I and other characteristics suggest that the earliest phase of Karain dates to the Early Chalcolithic Age. The rareness of painted decorated sherds show that there was not a parallel cultural development between Antalya and the Lake District. Level II: The emergence of sherds of coarse ware and black-faced ware shows the change in pottery. Grayish brown; simple jars were made of coarse ware. In addition; there are sherds of dark red or light red; fine ware. Forms are not very different from the lower level. Shallow bowls with flat or slightly reverted rims and carinated bowls with vertical mouths emerge for the first time. The existence of vertical handles and incised decoration helped to date the level. Resemblances are made with Besik-Sivritepe; Kumtepe 1 a; Kuruçay 6A; and the 1st Phase of Can Hasan I Mound. Level III: Finds were recovered; which were observed to be not very late from the Level II. Coarse wares are produced with more care. There is almost no change in forms. Coarse tray-shaped sherds with rows of pierced holes on the rim are existent. The Chalcolithic Age sherds of this level belong to the last phase of the period. During the 2006 excavations at cave B a large amount of sherds were found on the geological level HIII, which were buff colored, brown and black coated. Although few some polychrome and incision decorated ceramics were also revealed. Among the other finds there are also perforated vessel fragments [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:473]. Again at cave B of the geological level H.IV. a large vessel was found which is significant for Karain B. This vessel shows similarities with Hacilar I and Kuruçay 10-9 in terms of the characteristics of the form and color which is red over white. The vessel was decorated with basic zigzagging red bands over creme coating. The neck part of the vessel which is long is red coated on the external surface. The vessel has a flat bottom and probably bore handles on both sides [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:473]. Mixed EBA and Chalcolithic Age finds were unearthed at geological level H.II of level III inside the Cave B in 2008. Handmade buff and black coated sherds compose the largest quantity of specimens encountered. There are also a few polychromatic sherds. Besides the breast-shaped reliefs there are geometric incise decorations or dot patterns on monochromatic pottery. In general H.III yielded Late Chalcolithic Age finds. Upright mouthed, upright bodied pottery with black coating and handmade pottery are among the most yielded specimens [Yalçinkaya et al. 2010:47-48]. In 2009 wheel-made glazed pottery pieces as well as rough handmade pottery are captured in Cell B in geological level H I. Geological level H II contains EBA and Chalcolithic Age findings mixed together. Camelhair and black slipped handmade pottery are among the most common samples. Intense pieces of rough handmade kitchenware that stiff rimmed and stiff bodied which qualify Late Chalcolithic Age are captured in geological level H III. EBA elements are very few in this level in which some black coated and glossy burnished potteries are also found alongside camel hair color vessel pieces. Pieces that belong to tankard-type vessels and folded-in rimmed pots are characteristic. And some samples are identified which are parts of pots that feature holes below the rim. Breast-like reliefs and geometrical zigzag banded or dot pattern decorations are found on monochrome ceramics. Many rims, bases and pieces of body are collected. Incised decorated perpendicular handles, spurred handles and one pierced handle are among the variety of handle pieces that we encountered. A piece of polychrome painted, red banded over crème coating vessel is found in Geological Level H IV from Chalcolithic Age. Handmade monochrome and camel hair color coated vessel pieces are common in this level. And intense amount of light and dark color pieces of rough kitchenware are captured [Yalçinkaya et al. 2011: 27-28]. The geological level of H.IV yielded Chalcolithic finds in 2011 and 2012. As well as elaborate black and cream slipped vessels, there are roughly made, unburnished and buff colored vessels. In this level, chipped stone and bone finds increased. Potsherds in high quality with red band decoration on cream slip and polychrome sherds which are known from the Chalcolithic levels of Hacilar were recovered [Yalçinkaya 2014:240]. In 2013, black and cream slipped potsherds, plain and buff colored coarse wares were found in the geological level H.IV dated to Chalcolithic [Yalçinkaya et al. 2015:448]. Clay: The excavations in 2006 Cave B at geological level H.III revealed terra cotta spindle whorls [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:473]. In 2008 terra cotta spindle whorls were unearthed in the geological level H.II at level III. A terra cotta figurine is one of the most important finds of the upper levels of H.IV unit, revealed inside the archaeological level 5. It was pretty much stylized and the bottom part has an ovality that prevents it from standing straight. Its body gets narrower and the figurine presents an enlarging typologie when observed in frontal view. Eye-socket and the nose and eyebrows' projections were not very clearly worked. There are no clues on the gender of the figurine. But it is most probably a woman's figurine based on specimens from the same period [Yalçinkaya et al. 2010:49]. A spindle whorl made of baked earth ware is captured in 2009 in Cell B in geological level H II. Two conical spindle whorls are captured made of baked earth ware in geological level H III [Yalçinkaya et al. 2011: 27-28]. Chipped Stone: Seeher; who reported the ceramic level finds of Karain Cave; does not give much information about this industry; because interferences have been observed between Lower Palaeolithic Age levels and upper levels. However; he suggests that the obsidian tools and sickle-blades may belong to this period. Small trapezoidal arrowheads and sickle-blades are existent at Level II. The excavations in 2006 Cave B at geological level H.III revealed chipped stone industry objects which are represented with blade and flake cores which are in similar proportions in terms of pillars. The presence of obsidian continues at this level as well. The flintstone silex sickle blades were also revealed although very few in number [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:473]. Obsidians, silex and radiolite trapezoid cut and multiple order blades, burins, retouched blades and bladelets, front end scrapers, denticulated tools, drills, microliths and sickle blades are the typical kinds of finds. H.IV geologic level yielded an obsidian blade and bladelets, an obsidian bladelet core, silex and radiolite micro arrowhead with blade and a microgravity head. Among H.IV geologic level finds the backed knives, stone drills, an interesting arrowhead, burins, denticulated and notched, front scrapers, sickle blades, arrowhead with blade, prismatic cores, retouched and unretouched flakes and obsidian chipped stone elements are the most common types [Yalçinkaya et al. 2010:50]. Few sculptured stone materials are captured in 2009 in Cell B in geological level H I. In geological level H II along with single-handled blade cores, cores with no shape are also encountered. Microliths have non-geometrical forms. Among other sculptured artifacts found in this level are end scrapers, retouched blades and bladelets. In geological level H III the sculptured stone industry showed a substantial increase compared to geological levels H I and H II. Radiolaritine and flint stone are used heavily as raw materials. As well as obsidian blades and bladelets found on this level, an obsidian compound poled bladelet core is encountered. The cores which mainly consist of single and double poled forms are used for blades and bladelets. The most common tools within microlithics are the end scrapers which are encountered in many varieties. Broken forehead parts of end scrapers are also large in numbers. And duals tools which include stone blades, purged pieces, sickle blades, serrated tools, retouched blades, serrated-stone perforators and serrated-end scrapers are found in microlithic tool group. A very typical single-chisel tipped arrow head is found as well. Microlithic tool group consist of geometrical and non-geometrical forms. The sculptured stone industry is richly represented in geological level H IV. Most of the cores are in the form of single or double poled bladelet cores. Although plenty of obsidian blades and bladelets are encountered no obsidian core samples are found. End scrapers are the most important forms of microlithic tool group. Serrated and notched tools, stone perforators, and dual tools are also among this group [Yalçinkaya et al. 2011: 27-29]. In 2012, the excavations carried out in the geological level H.IV in Gallery B yielded retouched and non-retouched flake and blades, cores, core preparation and rejuvenation pieces, macroliths and microliths. Among the macroliths, retouched flake and blades, truncated blades, end scrapers, stone borers and drills, denticulated and notched tools and sickle blades and stone burins. The microliths, on the other hand, consists of backed bladelets, retouched bladelets, microgravette points, chisel tipped arrowheads and truncated bladelets. The obsidian originating from Mount Göllü was found in this level as well [Yalçinkaya et al. 2014:240]. The finds recovered during the 2013 season consist of retouched and unretouched flakes and blades, obsidian blades and bladelet (originated from Mount Göllü in Cappadocia), macrolith and microlith tools, knapping waste and chips [Yalçinkaya et al. 2015:449]. Ground Stone: Miniature flat stone axe; stone beads; and bracelet piece of marble were recovered from Level I; while an idol piece; resembling Cyclades (?) idols; was recovered room the Level II. This Kilian type human figurine shows that such idols were also existent in the Chalcolithic Age besides the EBA. During 2006 excavations at B Cave's H.III.level the slinshot stones detected among rubbing stone specimens compose an important group. Among rubbing stone specimens at geologic level H.IV ground stones; polished axes and slingshot stones are important elements [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:473]. Grinded and grinding stones as well as sling stones are captured in Cell B in geological levels H III and H IV in 2009 [Yalçinkaya et al. 2011: 29]. During the excavations conducted in Gallery B in the geological level H.IV in 2012, stone spindle whorls, axes and chisels, burnishers, hammers, sling stones, ground and grinding stones were recovered [Yalçinkaya et al. 2014:240]. Bone / Antler: Abundant bone awls were found. There is no detailed information. A few broken awl tips are found in Cell B in geological level H II in 2009. Awls, heads and a burnishing tool which is believed to be used in bone tools are captured making in geological level H III. Awls and spatulas are also among the findings in geological level H IV [Yalçinkaya et al. 2011: 28-29]. During 2006 excavations at Cave B among the bone objects at geologic level H.IIII there is a bone spatula and intense awls. There is also a pierced bone object but its function was unidentified [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:473]. In 2008 at Cave B Gözü's level H.IV bone spoons, awls, spatulas, and worked antlers are important finds [Yalçinkaya et al. 2010:49]. The 2012 excavations conducted in Level H.IV yielded bone points, awls, spoons, perforated bones and worked bone objects [Yalçinkaya et al. 2014:240]. The finds recovered during the 2013 season consist of bone points, awls, needles and worked bone objects [Yalçinkaya et al. 2015:449]. Human remains: The excavations in 2006 Cave B at geological level H.III revealed human finger bones [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:473]. Again at geological level H.IV. of cave B burnt human bones were found. The fact that a large amount of these bones were subjected to serious burning suggests that this area was used for cremation [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:474]. A human skull peace is captured in 2009 Cell B in geological level H I [Yalçinkaya et al. 2011: 27]. During the 2012 campaign, scattered human bones were found in the Chalcolithic levels. The bones were completely or partially burnt. This situation indicates the "half cremation" practice [Yalçinkaya et al. 2014:240]. Other: The excavations in 2006 Cave B at geological level H.III often revealed artifacts such as perforated beads from marine mollusks and perforated stone beads [Yalçinkaya et al. 2008:473]. During 2008 excavations inside Cave B at geologic level H.IV beads of widely represented nautical and terrestrial mollusks and stone beads were yielded. At plan square I 10 in archaeological level 9 a series of in situ Dentalium bead groups were found [Yalçinkaya et al. 2010:49-50]. The findings found in Level H.V in 2012 are similar with the ones recovered in other levels [Yalçinkaya et al. 2014:240].
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating: There are resemblances with Emperio X-VI; Besik-Sivritepe (Çanakkkale); Kumtepe Phase I a (Çanakkale) after the beginning of the Level II in Karain Cave. These levels are important in establishing interrelations between the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Region. The Chalcolithic Age of the Mediterranean was understood in detail with the publication of the Chalcolithic material of Yalçinkaya's excavation. The Holocene levels were not considered important in Kökten's excavations; and were not published. However; it is possible to find this material within the excavated soil. A small collection of sherds; from this excavated soil; is being preserved as study material in the Prehistory Laboratory of the University of Istanbul. During 2008 excavations at Cave B inside level III's upper level H.IV the revealed figurine is similar to the specimens yielded in the Chalcolithic levels of Kösk Höyük. Although Köşk Höyük specimens in general show a pointed head typology Karain find had a flatter and oval head. In the mean time the bottom part has a roundish shape on both settlement's specimens. Arms, legs and feet were not worked. That figurine yielded at Karain is the only specimen found in southwestern Anatolia (particularly in the south of Taurus Mountains) [Yalçinkaya et al 2010:49].


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