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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Keçiler Magarasi |
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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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Cave |
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Altitude:
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740 m |
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Region:
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Southeastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Adiyaman |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Pirun |
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Investigation Method:
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Survey |
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Period:
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| Location: This site lies 6-7 km north-northeast of the city of Adiyaman; 3 km north of the villages of Büyük and Küçük Pirun (also known as Pirin); 2 km before arriving at the village of Palanli; directly east of the village of Gebel; in the Palanli Valley. It is possible to reach the cliff-like rock drop-off that the cave is located in via a narrow trail. The cliffs are 400 m west of the road. The construction site road; which is parallel to the stream; passes in front of the cave. |
| Geography and Environment: The cave has no local name. We have preferred to use the name "Keçiler Magarasi"; the name given to the cave by Kökten; rather than calling it the "Palanli Cave Site" as it has been referred to in ASPRO [Hours et al. 1994:267]; not to confuse the site with the nearby Palanli-Pirun Rock Shelter. The cave has two separate mouths. It is 20 m long; 5-10 m wide. The height of the cave and the thickness of the fill deposit; if there is any; has not been mentioned. For more information on the cave see Harmankaya-Tanindi 1996: Keçiler Magarasi). |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: The site was discovered by Anati in 1968; who arrived in the region to analyze the cave paintings of the nearby Palanli-Pirun rock-shelter [Anati 1968:29]. The cave was later surveyed by Bostanci in 1970 [Bostanci 1971c:fig.I-II]. Anati reports that there are at least 45 figures engraved into the rock-face; especially on the eastern wall. Anati; who studied all the figures; believes that they were drawn in four different phases. The first and oldest phase is especially deeply engraved. It portrays well depicted goats; ranging from 60-80 cm in height. This phase also includes two schematic human figures. With the exception of a few drawings she believes are earlier; Anati dates this phase to the Epipalaeolithic/Mesolithic Period while Bostanci assigns it to the Upper Palaeolithic Aurignacien Culture. Anati believes that the drawings in this phase closely resemble the Romanelli; Levanzo and Adduara Caves in Italy as well as the Negev Dessert paintings in Jordan and the Kilwa Cave Art. The paintings made in the second and third phase; on the other hand; were chiselled. Anati; who believes they resemble the examples of cave art from the Kumbucagi Rock Shelter and the Gevaruk Valley; assigns them to the Neolithic Period while Bostanci believes they have some Epipalaeolithic qualities as well. In Phase Four; some drawings were superimposed over the earlier engravings. While Anati dates these drawings to the Bronze Age; Bostanci assigns them to modern times [Anati 1968:30; Bostanci 1973a:145]. Hours et al. refer to this cave as "Palanli Magarasi" [Hours et al. 1994:267]. |
| Stratigraphy: The stratigraphy of the cave is not known because no excavation was conducted. Neither Anati; nor Bostanci's publications provide information on the cave stratigraphy. |
| Small Finds: Chipped Stone: No chipped stone tools; tool fragments or debitage products were found in or outside the cave. Other: There are 45 different figures carved into the eastern wall of the Keçiler Cave. This rock-art has been placed into four categories by Anati according to their styles and the techniques used to make them. The figures placed into the second and third phases of habitation at the cave are reported to have been made by hammering/pounding technique instead of being incised/carved (For information on the rock-art from different periods in this cave see Harmankaya-Tanindi 1996:Keçiler Magarasi). |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Anati compares the rock-art in the second and third phases to the wall-paintings in the Kumbucagi Rock Shelter (Beldibi) and to the Gevaruk Valley Wall-Paintings and concludes that it is Neolithic in date [Anati 1968:29]. Bostanci; on the other hand; assigns the rock-art to the Epipalaeolithic and the Early Neolithic because it is stylized [Bostanci 1973:145]. Mellaart; however; believes that the animal figures and other depictions of the rock-art in this cave resemble Halaf painted pottery and concludes that the paintings should be assigned to the Chalcolithic Period instead [Mellaart 1975:162; fig. 99/d;I]. In ASPRO; the cave paintings have been placed in the third and fourth phases and are thus dated to 9;600-8;000 BP [Hours et al. 1994:267]. |
