|
©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
|
|
|
|
|
|
Karain Magarasi |
|
|
For site maps and drawings please click on the picture...  |
For photographs please click on the photo...  |
|
Type:
|
Cave |
|
Altitude:
|
360 m |
|
Region:
|
Mediterranean |
|
Province:
|
Antalya |
|
District:
|
Merkez |
|
Village:
|
Yagca |
|
Investigation Method:
|
Excavation |
|
Period:
|
|
|
|
|
  |
|
| The cave; renown by its Palaeolithic Age finds; lies 27-28 km northwest of Antalya Province. The excavations carried out by K. Kökten and I. Yalçinkaya yielded limited number of EBA pottery. It has been attested that it had been seasonally occupied during that period. Similar to the Chalcolithic Age; it was probably occupied by the nomads or the hunters of that age. During the 2008 excavations in Cave B at level III's geologic level H.II mixed EBA and Chalcolithic Age finds were found. Hand made buff and black coated sherds are the most intense finds. A small amount of polychromatic specimens were also found. Monochromatic pottery contain breast shaped reliefs and geometric insized decorations or dotted patterns [Yalçınkaya et al. 2010:47-48]. Listed in the registered archaeological sites inventory prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. During the 2010 studies, black colored handmade potsherds were found as well as the ones with buff colored paste in the geological level H.II.More elaborate potsherds such as sherds with reliefs and incised decoration were also recovered. There are some handles with breast-shaped reliefs. Another potsherd found in this level is very large and thick walled. It is cream slipped and partly decorated with red colored band [Yalçinkaya et al. 2012:378]. During the 2011 studies, Roman and EBA sherds were found together in the geological level of H.I. EBA finds were dominantly found, although they are partially mixed, in the geological level of H.II. There are two types of vessels: roughly made and elaborate ones. Although the majority of the vessels are handmade, some perforated sherds were also found. A baked clay perforated seal recovered from Square J13 is quite interesting. It is the first seal that was found in Karain excavations so far. The geological level of H.II contains an in situ EBA fill. Most of the pottery consists of broken and roughly made ones. |
| 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: |
| Stratigraphy: |
| Small Finds: |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: |
