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Kösk Höyük

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Köţk Höyük
Type:
 Mound
Altitude:
 1400 m
Region:
 Central Anatolia
Province:
 Nigde
District:
 Bor
Village:
 Bahçeli
Investigation Method:
 Excavation
Period:
 Early Late

     

Location: The site lies in the province of Nigde; close to Bahçeli Village; 17 km to the centrum; on the Kayseri-Nigde-Adana highway [Silistreli 1984a:83].
Geography and Environment: A Roman Period artificial pool located at the southern skirts of the mound is supplied by a natural spring closely which proves that; at least 2000 years ago; the region was watery and fertile just like in the present. The mound is 80 m in diameter and 15 m in height [Harmankaya et al. 1997:Kösk Höyük].
History:
Research and Excavation: The site; also known as Kösk Pinar; is discovered by M. Ballance in 1961 and surface collectings were conducted by R. Harper and M. Ramsden in 1964 [Summers 1993:29]; by I.A. Todd in 1965 [Todd 1968:104]. Excavations by U. Silistreli from Ankara University; Faculty of Letters* were conducted between 1981 and 1992. The second campaign by A. Öztan from the same faculty has started in 1996 and is still being conducted. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Stratigraphy: The later cultural periods of the site are the Islamic Period represented by the cemetery [Silistreli 1987:174]; Roman Period represented by the pool at the southern skirts; and Hellenistic remains recovered in the trench dug right on the top of the mound [Silistreli 1986:132]. Below are the three architectural strata from the Chalcolithic and Neolithic Ages. Levels I and II are dated to the (Early {?}) Chalcolithic and Level III is dated to the Neolithic Age mostly due to ceramic analogies. Existence of another structural stratum below (Level IV {?} [Silistreli 1990a:92]) is possible; and yet the relief-decorated sherds and architectural remains count as no proof since this level is not excavated extensively [Silistreli 1991a:98].
Small Finds: Architecture: Walls and fine-plastered floors from Level I; below the Islamic burials on the north of the mound; and an area interpreted as a sanctuary in the northeastern trench; are recovered. The characterizing finds of the mentioned area are ovens all on the same axis (north-south) with plastered firing places in front of them and narrow; rectangular; plastered mud-brick workshops next to them. There are; as well; round storages beside the ovens. The area was covered with an upper construction that was supported by wooden posts as is deduced from the negative traces. Other finds of the area include storing jars; grinding stones; stone vessels; and pottery. What give the area its religious character are the in situ objects: two goddess figurines and two objects in the shape of stylized bull horns [Silistreli 1991a:95-96]. Below this; in Level II; a structure with thin and fine-plastered walls and floor is recovered. A part of this structure; hinted by the in situ finds; was used as a depot. An interesting architectural element is a plastered; mud-brick chimney [Silistreli 1991a:97]. The sanctuary/cult building of this level is a rectangular structure with a regular sill and door. In this two-partitioned sanctuary; horns and bones of bulls and cows are found well-arranged on a platform. The place is interpreted as a sanctuary due to the relief decoration on a potsherd. The relief is of a human figure with thin and long body; a polos; and a scepter in one hand; interpreted as a diety [Silistreli 1989a:62]. The architectural properties of Levels II and I of Korucutepe show similarities: walls are put up carefully with high stone foundations in regular rectangular plans in all structures. They are made of mud-brick and contain partition walls; hearths; ovens; bread-ovens; door-posts; grinding stones; and pottery recovered in situ. Floors and walls (interior and exterior) are well-plastered. Carbonized floral remains within the structures imply that they were covered with wooden beams; rush mats; hay; and soil like other examples in Central Anatolia [Silistreli 1985a:32]. In the 1987 annual report; it is cited that besides the rectangular structures; two round structures built upon rubble fill are recovered; but it is not reported from which level these finds come [Silistreli 1989a:61; 1990a:91]. During 2002 excavations two streets observed at the site. One these lie in northwest-southeast direction and the other in northeast-southwest direction. The adjoining buildings near one side of these streets are different scaled applications of a plan consisting from a room and a deposit [Özkan et al. 2004:201]. In 2004 work took place in two areas: a large open area near the road where Iron Age remains were found next to the prehistoric ones; and in a path or road between houses. Levels IV and V were reached in a sounding. A house of Level II with grille-plan annexe and pisé bins in room corners had a full repertoire of finds on the floors; including the usual burnished pottery and stone tools. This house; and indeed the whole level; was destroyed by an earthquake. Level III remains included a plastered wall with red painted figures in a style compared to that of Hacýlar pottery.[cat.une.edu.au/page/kosk%20hoyuk 25.7.2006; 14:30]. The house VI that dated to Early Chalcolithic Age on the level 1 of the southwest wing of the mound was excavated during the researches in 2005. The house VI consists of three sub phases (phases Ia-c ). The second and third constructions of the house were completely unearthed and the bottom phase was partially unearthed. The latest of the phases which is Ia; was destroyed by the fire in the Early Hellenistic building, and its thick layer of ashes. It is 0.72 m higher than the basin height of the phase Ib. The furnace which was previously found and used in the layer Ib period residence 0.1 m from the residence wall measures 0.3x0.5 m. Its bottom was paved with ceramic tiles; and neatly plastered. The hearth delimited by adobe in the back; one row of large stones on one side; and two rows of stones on the other side; is located just east of the furnace. The hearth which is filled with a thick layer of grey-white cinder; is 0.65 m from the Ib basin. It measures 0.40 by 0.35 m. This phase is delimited by the furnace and the hearth in the north. The usage of the west and east walls of the first phase continued. The southern border could not be identified due to the thick fire layer; and the remains of the upper buildings. This shows that the house VI was used after an alteration that made it smaller [Öztan et al. 2007:530-531]. Phase Ib is located on the southwestern corner of the residence VI. It differs from the others with its trapezoid plan. The wall width increases from north towards the south direction. The west wall which was constructed with a different concept than northern and eastern walls; was initially elevated through building it on the bedrock; and was supported by middle and small size stones here and there. There is a furnace which measures 2.30 by 1.80 m; and 0.8 m high between some elements of the building in the north and east walls which were previously unearthed; a vessel storage made of clay inside the space between the door and the furnace; a hearth in the center of the eastern wall 0.80 m in diameter; and a heating hearth in the center of the room 0.65 m in diameter; and a semi-circular shape clay box filled with antler in the northwestern corner. The main room of the residence VI was divided by the separation wall which in parallel with the northern wall delimits the room in the south; which makes the main room almost to an exact square plan. There is a bench adjacent to the west wall of the main room. The separation wall adjacent to the bench was made of adobe and the spaces in between were partially connected with mud. There is a rectangular silo made of pebbles; and plastered with mud just east of that; adjacent to the eastern wall. One of the pillars carrying the ceiling was placed 0.4 m from the bench corner inside the room. It was found that this pillar was fortified by plastering it with a 0.4 m high layer of clay. On the other hand there is another one at the corner of the room adjacent to the east side of the furnace. The southern storage divided by the silo and the separation wall is in trapezoid plan. The eastern corner is underneath the late phase wall. There is a section on the southwestern section in the shape of a 1/4 of a circle; delimited with stones. There is a small furnace adjacent to the south wall [Öztan et al. 2007:533]. Phase Ic was identified through the two pillar pits in front of the wall which was found following the removal of the phase Ib jugs from the storage of the house; and cleaning of the environs [Öztan et al. 2007:533]. There are furnaces and hearths placed in a row along the western façade of the house VI. The fact that some of the furnaces were built; and restored many times one on top of the other shows that those were used for a very long period of time throughout many phases. The large furnace 1 m away from the northwest corner of the house at the end of the street has a diameter of 1.92 m. The west section of the furnace which is in the shape of a dome; was destructed. 24 pieces of various hammer stones including; gabbro; breccia; hematite and pebbles were found inside the furnace near the mouth section. The row of furnaces alongside the western wall's external façade of house VI were built either by carving into the bedrock or by plastering on the bedrock. The hearth location just south of the large furnace was made by carving the bedrock. The eight hearth locations in two rows on the south of this are in different forms; sizes; and depths. The well-preserved; two square shaped pillar locations which were neatly plastered around; are 0.35 m wide and 1.6 m from each other on the west side of the hearth area which lightly declines towards the south. Along with the third one in front of the large furnace those pillars assumably carried the load of a light shade extending from the house VI over the furnaces [Öztan et al. 2007:534]. Early Chalcolithic Age phase I building wall remains; and hearth spots were revealed after the removal of one part of the northern half floor; during the excavations in the southern wing of the building. Two out of three hearths in the east direction were made by plastering it with the clay; and one was made by the construction of a small wall with small stones. The phase I of those elements is inside a thick layer of burnt material just as in the other buildings. The northern hearth sits on the bedrock. There are three spots for the vessels of various sizes on the bench just in front of the hearth constructed with stones. A small fragment of the threshold was preserved on the west side of the building [Öztan et al. 2007:535]. There are five silos; neatly plastered with white clay inside; the edges surrounded by small limestones; on the eastern wing; north of the wall which has a well preserved corner in phase I; right against the wall that was apparently located inside the room. Although the sections near the wall were well preserved; the northern edges which are towards the declined surface were destructed. It is found that only one corner of a building from phase I was preserved due to the declination of the area right below the mound surface. Also the floor of the building was partially preserved where the stone wall was constructed by yellow clay. It was neatly plastered with white clay [Öztan et al. 2007:536]. Some of the elements above the rooms in phase III on the eastern wing could not be related to the architecture; therefore it is assumed that they were related to phase II. There is a furnace at that phase; just north; there is a floor fragmant turned brown due to the fire; with the limits unidentified. There is a furnace just east of the floor which has similar characteristics with the previous but larger; and a garbage dump on its western side from phase I [Öztan et al. 2007:536]. The phase III buildings went through some changes with time on the eastern section. Some of the rooms were divided by walls to obtain smaller rooms; and some rooms were separated from the houses and added extra rooms to obtain additional residences; and the door spots were changed. The tiny door between the rooms 4 and 8 inside the house 1 of the phase III contains a bench made of mud. The top of the door ends with an arch constructed by getting the adobe bricks in small steps near each other. There is a stone pavement underneath the internal corner of the west entrance in room 4. The room 8 inside that house on the eastern side was used at least during three phases [Öztan et al. 2007:537-538]. House II of phase III contained two rooms as found. Passed the room 5 there is a bench alongside the northern wall; and a hearth covering the whole south wall on the right. There is a pillar stand on the floor between the hearth and the bench; and a ground stone and a grinding stone just next to those which are preserved [Öztan et al. 2007:538]. The house III of the phase III expands in north and east dierctions. It contains four rooms of which two are smaller. The eastern section was seriously destructed due to its nearness to the surface. There is a garbage dump 0.9 m in diameter extending towards underneath the rooms 11; and 12; on the southern corner of the floor [Öztan et al. 2007:538-539]. The room 9 in the house IV of the phase III which contained a lot of cinder; and stones in 2005; was cleaned. The trapezoidal room was added afterwards along with the main rooms 7 and 6 of the house. The traces of the room floor from the late phase which is 0.4 cm above the early phase were well preserved on the eastern section. In the early phase; there is a bench on the eastern corner; a furnace next to the west wall; and three clay boxes. There is a pit and a pillar stand between the clay box in the east and the furnace. A special; small chamber is accessed through a door on a thin separation wall constructed by vertically placing the flat stones between this box and the hearth [Öztan et al. 2007:539]. Northeast wall of the room 16 of the house V of phase III was partially destructed by the Middle Age graves. There is a bench on the northwestern corner of the suare planned room; and a large clay box in the eastern corner. The wall in front of the box; which was assumed to be in the previous phase as well was removed and leveled down to the level of the floor. Ochre traces were observed above the leveled section; and on the plaster in front of the box. The furnace has a square shape. There is a second box on the southern corner of this large room and another bench in the center of the eastern wall. This room provides access to room 26 which possibly belongs to another house. This rectangular planned room is a hall type room related to rooms 9 and 16 in the early phase. This hall was shut on the northern and eastern directions at a later phase to make another room; and was built by middle size stones. It was found that the space between the houses IV and V southwest of the room 26; was used as a grave during another phase. An oval grave pit was made in this section and the body layed in hocker position in northeast-southwest direction; on his right side. Although the skeleton and the presents were left untouched; the skull was missing. The 2006 excavations were performed at four sections; in the south, north, east and center of the mound. The excavations in the south of the mound revealed that the resiential building IX on the side of the road that extends in northeast-southwest direction inside the settlement which was found during the 1995-96 campaign within the building level I, and the residential building VIII which is underneath the residential building VII in the southwest corner which was dug in 2004 are both in rectangular plan. Its two long walls are for collective use with the neighbors. The residence is accessible through the stairs from the road on the west side which escalates towards the south. This residence too, has been reused after renovations the way all the other residences have, after the fire they have been through. During the Late Phase after the fire the eastern wall was modified and drawn 1.40 m inside to make the room narrower, the western wall where the entrance is located at was preserved and modified to make it into the internal courtyard of the house. During this alteration an almost round room was constituted to include the major part of the early phase residence. The heating stove from the early phase is situated in the center of the room. It has been used after renewal during this period as well. A second stove was built in the north of the first one during this phase. This adobe wall which has a thickness of 10 to15 cm delimited the western wall of this period's house. This way the entrance which is in the same direction with the first phase residence was drawn back approximately by 2 m. A pit which was opened within the courtyard, right south of the late phase entrance, has been used as dump site [Öztan et al. 2008: 117-118]. The remaining buildings in the southern research area at level 1, belong to the row behind the residences on the left side of the second largest street ofthe settlement that lies in northwest-southeast direction. House G1 which is behind the houses IV, and V was connected to the house V via a high step. The large mortar shaped milestone inside this passage proves the presence of a door. The entire room was filled with the remains of the reeds from the built-up roof that collapsed. The equipments of the house under this fill consisted of a siloh in the northwest corner in the shape of a quarter circle, two post holes right in front of this, a 40 cm high bench adjacent to the southwestern wall and the furnace in front of it [Öztan et al. 2008:118]. A house was revealed which missed the northern wall, half the largest room and partially the eastern wall due to erosion and the Medieval burials, which was named the house XXII in the level I, in the north of the mound. This house resembles the residences of level I houses in terms of the overall characteristics. It consists of a large room and the storage room behind this. The large room contains a bench, two clay boxes, a small storage and the stove in the center. The location of three poles out of four were preserved. THe niche which was made inside the wall in the other residences, was placed inside the small storage in the larger storage at house XXII [Öztan et al. 2008:119]. The four interconnected rooms built in parallel in the north direction at level III in the north of the mound, beloýng to the same phase. The room in narrow and long rectangular plan in the north, is the actual room that provides the accessibility of the house. There is a bench in the northwest corner, and a second one in the shape of a quarter circle at the bank of the high step which provides the passage into the other room. There are two interconnected small rooms in the west, and a third one in the south, which is the same length as the main room [Öztan et al. 2008:120]. The northern edge of the room with four rooms that belong to the level III that was unearthed in the east of the mound was destructed due to the Medieval Age burials. The large room of the house contains a bench, a furnace, stove places and grinding stones [Öztan et al. 2008:120]. Two rooms of a level III house were found inside the mound center. Out of these rooms the larger one belongs to two different phases. The large room contains a stove in the northwest corner, a clay box in the southeast corner and a small workshop right next to it. The south wall of this room has a shape to allow a niche towards the south from the level of the door. The south door allows access tho the second, rectangular shaped room Öztan et al. 2008:122]. Inside the mound center, on the flat base at the larger section of the trench on level IV, the layer contained finds inside the ashy mixture in the east and inside the yellow soil mixture in the west, which suggested that this place was used as a workshop for making beads. One of the important architectural remains at this section is the circular, near oval building that was adjoined to one of the walls of a house that belong to the level IV in the east of the area. This building was separated in the center by a wall made of thin mud plaster. This house had a preserved height of 180 cm, and did not have any entrance. This type of a building was found for the first time at Kösk Höyük, and its function could not be identified [Öztan et al. 2008:123]. Two hearths and a siloh were found underneath the deposit in the form of a large pile of stones mixed with late period ruins during the researches performed in plan squares I-J/12-13 that belong to Early Chalcolithic Age in the south of the mound in 2007 [Öztan et al. 2009:313-314]. Neolithic and Chalcolithic Age buildings were researched inside the trenches in the north and northeast. The reseidence enumerated 24 consists of a large hall and the storage room behind it just as in the houses of level 1. It contains a hearth between the preserved section and the east wall of the large hall, a small section containing grinding stones immediately south of this 60 cm high bench which measures 1.00x0.45 cm with to in situ grinding stones above. This room provides access to the southwest storage room through a 65 cm wide opening [Öztan et al. 2009:315]. A bench and partially the floor below on the corner of the south and east walls of a structure, of which a wall fragment was unearthed at plan square F8 in level I in 2008 were preserved. Starting underneath this floor a level II structure was also preserved in parts, but no other equipment was left behind except for its hearth [Öztan et al. 2010: 255]. It is found that late period buildings unearthed in 2009 from the squares K/10-11 of the plan destructed the Southeast corner and the South wall of the House 2 at this part of Layer I of Early Chalcolithic Age. The building has the same form with the other buildings encountered in Layer I. The entrance is trough 100 cm wide door with a step from the street in the Southwest direction down like its neighbouring houses. In the Northwest a quarter- round shaped clay box while an oven exists in the Northeast which belongs to the first construction phase of the house. The jamb stones on two sides of the passage from the main room to the storage area imply the existence of a door on this position opening to the storage side. The pits that are used to insert bowls show the function of this space. Part of the Northeast wall which is common between the 3rd and the 2nd house of layer I, and which stands out to the street, as well as the 3 m of the front wall in the North. In the preserved portion of the main room there is a clay box, a fireplace for heating and a bench [Öztan-Açýkgöz 2011:138-140]. Pottery: The Chalcolithic pottery of Kösk Höyük is hand-made and consist mostly of monochrome wares with black; dark gray; light and dark red pastes. Level II yields a small amount of polichrome ware with geometric decorations painted in red; brown; and black on light colored surface. Geometrical decorations are applied also by incrustation; but rarely. The forms are bowls with or without handles; mugs; rectangular vessels; globular vases with long neck; everted rim; and flat base; storage jars of various sizes; and vessels interpreted as being used for baby food. The baby food vessels were recovered numerously as burial gifts in infant graves. The fine wares decorated with high reliefs of Kösk Höyük Levels I and II are extraordinary. These depict the mother goddess; other dieties; human figures; vegetation; and various animals such as bull; goat; donkey; antelope; deer; serpent; ram; tortoise; and birds. Some of these depictions are stylised like the goddess figures with her hair waving with the wind and the one with her hands on her waist or realistic like a chamois. Some are decorated with white incrustation and some (especially serpents' eyes) with inlayed obsidian pieces. Such vessels are thought to be libation vessels used for ritual purposes. During 2004 season excavations from Level III came a number of vessels with applied relief decoration; including three dancers with arms linked like paper cut-outs; a hunting scene with a man with bow and arrow facing an animal with its back leg caught in a snare; and a steatopygous female. In Level II the black; brown and red burnished pottery included plates on cylindrical stands made as one piece [cat.une.edu.au/page/kosk%20hoyuk 25.7.2006; 14:30]. Many vessels were unearthed which were broken at the spot they were found at; starting from a height of 0.5 - 0.6 m from the ground in the phase lb of house VI during the researches in 2005. The majority of the ceramics are dark grey-black and red burnished [Öztan et al. 2007:532]. There are fragments of three vessels broken at the spot on the bench adjacent to the western wall of the main room in phase Ib; a large jug with the large body leaning against the bench on the east of the bench; and a 0.26 m large spot made for a vessel by plastering with mud around; and making a cavity in the center; again on the east of the bench [Öztan et al. 2007:532]. Two large jugs were placed with one leaning against the bench and the other at the bottom of the bench; on the north of the division at the southwest corner of the storage type room separated by a silo and a wall [Öztan et al. 2007:533]. Phase lc only revealed some Early Chalcolithic Age sherds [Öztan et al. 2007:533]. The excavations that took place on the eastern wing revealed two miniature terra cotta vessels in phase I underneath the floor in the northern half (Öztan et al. 2007:535). The excavations on the east wing revealed black; middle size jug fragments with round bottoms; and egg shaped bodies inside the the soil cinder mixture which reflects the fire that the phase I went through [Öztan et al. 2007:536]. Scratch and puncture decorated bowl fragments were revealed on the floor of phase II following the removal of the upper floor inside the room 13 which was constructed by adding part of the room 8 of the house I from phase III [Öztan et al. 2007.537-538]. Some broken vessels were found on the floor between the ground stone and the grinding stone in house II of the phasde III. Those vessels consist of dark red and brown fruit stands; a tight neck jug; two large bowls with right-angle handles on one and no handles on the other; and a small bowl. Some contain basic decorative embossments which is a characteristic of the period [Öztan et al. 2007:538]. There are fragments of some vessels broken at the spot; and a small dish in one piece found in the late phase of room 9 house IV phase III. The majority consist of long neck vase type vessels; some with embossment; some others with paint decorations . Among those there are sun embossment and crescent motives as well [Öztan et al. 2007:539]. The floor of the room 22 in house V from phase III is covered with the fragments of the vessels broken at the spot. Out of those only a jug; two vases; and two bowls could be reconstructed [Öztan et al. 2007:539-540]. In 2006 during the excavations performed in the south the house VIII which was unearthed within the level I in southwest, a bowl and a closure were found in tact, and many sherds were also revealed [Öztan et al. 2008:118]. Within the four room house inside the level III in the north of the mound, except for the room at the very end, all contained jugs, bowls, vessels for fruits were all found crashed and shattered on the floor. There are also a few which contain embossments or paint decorations [Öztan et al. 2008:120]. Most of the sherds found during the house cleaning at plan square I/10 inside the level III houses at the mound center were mono-colored, and coated. Apart from these a small number of sherds were found with embossment and incision decorations [Öztan et al. 2008:122]. In 2009 a large jar is identified under the vessel in the Southeast corner of the storage area of House 2 in Layer I of Square K/10-11 of the plan. The jar is buried in a way that its rim is levelled with the ground. The jar is open mouthed, long necked, egg bodied and point based. Its four corresponding handles are attached to the body in groups of two closely positioned handles [Öztan-Açýkgöz 2011:139]. Clay: The clay finds of Level I are the two goddess figurines; one seated the other standing and the two horn-shaped objects recovered in the so-called sanctuary. These figurines are rather stylized compared to those found in Level II [Silistreli 1991a:95-96]. The standing and seated goddess figurines and a red ochre painted head piece [Silistreli 1989d:408] are the clay finds of Level II; besides another figurine recovered from a burial. The latter is of a seated goddess with crossed arms; slanting eyes; and plump cheeks; faintly smiling; and wearing a polos [Silistreli 1990a:92]. Other extraordinary and rich finds belonging to the same level come from various areas: baked clay handled tripods resembling stylised bull heads recovered on the floor of a conflagrated building [Silistreli 1985a:32]; the half of an eye figurine; the pupil and the white of which are indicated with different colors; recovered on another floor [Silistreli 1991a:97]; and a spoon laid beside a rectangular bowl with a pedestal as a gift in an infant burial. A terra cotta goddess figurine bearing the characteristics of the phase I was found during the excavations on the eastern wing in 2005 [Öztan et al. 2007:536]. An unbaked fragment of a goddess figurine was found inside the stone debree following the researches in the phases after the removal of the upper floor layer of room 13; which was built by adding parts of the room 8 of house I in phase III [Öztan et al. 2007:538]. There is a large box next to the room door in room 22 which is one of the three rooms in house V of phase III. In 2006 many turquoises painted terra cotta beads were revealed inside the bead production workshop at level IV in the north of the mound [Öztan et al. 2008:123]. An Early Chalcolithic Age clay goddess figurine was yielded in 2008 [Öztan et al. 2010:254]. Chipped Stone: Although obsidian is the dominant material for this industry in Kösk Höyük; some flint stone samples are encountered as well. Daggers; blades; arrow heads; and spear heads show high quality. Perforators; cutting tools; and prepared obsidian cores are among the other finds. Ground Stone: In the so-called sanctuary of Level I and on the floors of other buildings; mortars; pestles; grinding stones; door-post pedestals; and stone vessels are found in situ [Silistreli 1987:174; 1991a:95]. Other finds are a miniature idol and miscelleneous beads recovered from the burials [Silistreli 1990a:92]. The interesting recovery of the miniature human foot out of stone from the plastered mud-brick chimney constitute the ground stone assemblage of Level II [Silistreli 1991a:97]. Bone/Antler: A burnishing tool made of bone is found on a floor of Level I. As for Level II; it is not specified whether or not there is any artificial trace on the cow and bull bones and horns found in the so-called sanctuary [Silistreli 1990a:92]. A large antler was revealed by the wall 0.5 m south from the kiln in phase la of house VI during the researches in 2005 [Öztan et al. 2007:531]. Animal bones; antlers; processed bones and two handles of which one was made with a deer antler; decorated with bone remains; and other decorated bones; and an awl made of bone were found in phase lb [Öztan et al. 2007:532]. The excavations that took place on its southern wing revealed three awls; and a handle made of antler in phase I underneath the floor in the northern half [Öztan et al. 2007:535]. In 2006 eleven bone pins were found at house VIII which was unearthed in the southwest [Öztan et al. 2008:118]. Human Remains: The graves dug into the floors of the Chalcolithic Age buildings show that there is an intramural burial tradition in Kösk Höyük. All have burial gifts such as vessels; beads; and obsidian tools. An interesting gift belonging to an intramural Level II burial is the seated; cross-armed goddess figurine with the slanting eyes; wearing a polos. Below another floor; superimposed infant burials are recovered in poor condition. It is reported that the Kösk Höyük Neolithic ancestor cult (preserving skulls) continues through Level II [Silistreli 1991a:97]. During 2002 season excavations 30 graves belonging to Level I and Level II were uncovered [Özkan et al. 2004:201]. A baby grave was found in a section inside the western wall of house VI at 0.5 m depth from the hearth; following the removal of the hearth and the kiln in la phase of house VI during the researches performed in 2005. The baby body was laid inside this ground burial in hocker popsition without any gifts [Öztan et al. 2007:531]. Well preserved fragments of a vessel; with the body completely underneath the floor was found in the center of the southern wall of the warehouse in phase Ib. It was also found that one of the bowl shaped pits inside the bedrock was plastered to make a grave in the phase Ic; where a dead baby body was placed [Öztan et al. 2007:533-534]. The silo in the northernmost part of the well preserved wall which is at the nearest spot to the surface was later used as a grave; in the phase I of the eastern wing. The baby was placed at the bottom of the silo in hocker position on his left without any gifts [Öztan et al. 2007:536]. An oval grave pit was made in the space between houses IV and V; southwest from the room 26 of house V in phase III; a dead body was laid on its right side in hocker position in northeast-southwest direction. Although the skeleton and the burial gifts were untouched the skull was missing. The skeleton belongs to a man 15-16 years of age; which was healthy based on the condition of his bones. It was found that the body was left out in the open until the soft tissues almost completely rotted; then the skull was carefully removed. Only a tooth fell from the upper chin when the skull was removed; and it was left with the body. A bowl was placed besides the hip; two vases were placed in front of his arms one decorated with an embossed animal head [Öztan et al. 2007:540-541]. A bowl was placed besides the hip; two vases were placed in front of his arms one decorated with an embossed animal head [Öztan et al. 2007:540-541]. The grave inside the ground found at the bottom of the wall of house XXI in the north of the mound in 2006, belongs to level I. Due to its current location just10 cm below the ground it was seriously destructed and based on anthropological identifications it belongs to a young person of 14-15 years of age. It was laid in Hocker position and a large amount of ochre was pored on it. He was buried with his necklace that consisted of at least three rows of beads each 2 mm in diameter, and bracelets on each of his wrists made of identical beads. Additionally a silex blade was left besides the dead. Among the stone and painted terra cotta beads there are a few copper ones as well [Öztan et al. 2008:119]. During the removal of the second bench that belongs to the level II, in the center of the mound, a group of skulls were found, which were plastered by clay, in the same level as the level II building's foundations. These early foundations which are approximately 30 cm below of in 2000 revealed ones, were placed inside box shaped 40 cm2 hole which was made of 2 cm thick thin limestone plates, alongside the northern edge of the house's bench at level II. Out of these the first three from the west were stuck to each other, the fourth one from the west was placed apart from the others. It was found that the skulls were placed directly on the floor. Right next to these an ochre painted terra cotta figurine fragment, three bowls in tact, one bowl fragment, two cups and four fruit plates and a bone tool were left as burial gifts. One dead's face was covered with clay plaster and painted with ochre. According to the findings analysis the skull which belonged to a man of 30-35years of age was covered with clay after the tooth were pulled unlike its similar specimens found in ancient near east [Öztan et al. 2008:121]. 11 Chalcolithic Age graves were found during the campaign that took place in 2007. Eight of these belong to newborn, and two to toddlers. The only adult in this section was buried inside the pithos at the storage room of this level, with only the head hidden inside. Only one of the newborn has a broken obsidian arrowhead lying next to him [Öztan et al. 2009:319]. Animal Remains: The animal remains found in phases I-V belonged to various domestic and wild animals. The mostly available ones are sheeps and goats. That is followed by wild horses; bulls; wild donkeys; rabbits; deers; dogs; pigs; foxes; bears; and small carnivorous animals. according to the first findings the majority of the animals consisted of sheeps and goats but the most common livestock consisted of bulls and horses [Öztan et al. 2007:542]. Other: Beads made out of marine shells are recovered on a floor form Level II [Silistreli 1991a:97]. The researches that were performed on the southern wing in 2005 revealed a burnishing stone made of hematite; and a pig head shaped necklace bead made of agate underneath the floor in the northern half in phase I [Öztan et al. 2007:535].
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating: Kösk Höyük lies in a region with abundant obsidian sources. It is assumed that this rather precious raw material of Neolithic and Chalcolithic Ages has set the settlement's commercial and cultural relations with the contemporary sites in Anatolia and even Mezopotamia and provided wealth for the settlement. Considering the settlement as a whole with its three levels of occupation; Kösk Höyük finds have parallels with the latest strata of the Early Neolithic in Çatalhöyük (East); Early Chalcolithic settlements of Çatalhöyük (West); Can Hasan; and Hacilar [Silistreli 1989c:374; 1990b:46; 1991:99]. It is suggested; due to the surveys previous to the excavation; that the latest settlement in Kösk Höyük dates to Early Bronze Age [Todd 1980:42] and therefore Level II to Late Chalcolithic Age [Summers 1993:29-30]. Since the pillar that supports the ceiling which is located 0.40 m from the corner of the bench inside the room at phase lb of house VI was burned along with the building they are both well preserved; as found during the researches in 2005. This example shows that the pillars supporting the ceiling were placed into the pits made underneath the floor; then fortified by filling the pits with clay; as seen in other buildings in the area [Öztan et al. 2007:533]. A thick layer of burnt straw remains were found in the storage room in phase lb of house VI. The calibrated 14C analysis report of those samples as analysed in the Arizona University suggest they date to 5211+-84 [Öztan et al. 2007:533]. The excavations performed in the eastern wing revealed many broken vessels inside a room in phase III on a number of different floor surfaces; which suggest some parts of the alterations were due to a general collapse of the building [Öztan et al. 2007:537].


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