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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Sapmaz Köy |
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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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Mound |
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Altitude:
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1020 m |
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Region:
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Central Anatolia |
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Province:
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Aksaray |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Sapmaz |
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Investigation Method:
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Survey |
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Period:
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Ceramic |
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| Location: This site lies 22 km northwest of the city of Aksaray; approximately 1 km southwest of the village of Sapmaz; on the northwestern side of road that leads to the village from the Aksaray-Antalya highway. The other name of the mound is Yassiören. In Omura's publication; the site is referred to as Yassiören [Omura 1991:71]. |
| Geography and Environment: The Sapmaz Köy Mound is approximately 3-4 m high and has a 250 m diameter. It lies on the flanks of the mountains east of the Salt Lake. There is a small stream that flows by. The mound is approximately 150-200 m higher than the Salt Lake water level. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: The site was discovered in 1965 during the surface survey in the area led by I.A. Todd. The finds discovered as a result of this survey were analyzed by Todd. Omura and his crew also conducted a surface collection at the site in 1989. |
| Stratigraphy: The surface collection conducted on the site yielded Ceramic Neolithic; Chalcolithic and Medieval material. Since no archaeological excavation has been conducted; the stratigraphic layers of the site are not known. It is reported that the mound itself and the surrounding region faced destruction. |
| Small Finds: Pottery: The Sapmaz Köy Mound yielded many typically Konya Plain Late Neolithic ceramic fragments. Since this red burnished fine ware spans a long period from the Late Neolithic the Late Chalcolithic; it is difficult to assign the pottery to a specific time period. Todd presents this ware found at Sapmazköy separately from Konya Plain ware [Todd 1980:53]. Chipped Stone: A total of 2;562 chipped stone tools and debitage products were collected from the mound. Most of these finds are obsidian. A biface axe; 138 pressure flaked blades; 21 points; 64 scrapers; a few perforators and burins and other tools were found [Todd 1980:92-93; fig. 34-35]. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Todd believes this site is contemporaneous with the site of Çatalhöyük East. In ASPRO; it has been placed into the fifth period. Uncalibrated dates for this period are 8;000-7;600 BP. |
