©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project


Avla Dag

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Avla Dağ
Type:
Flat Settlement
Altitude:
1325 m
Region:
Central Anatolia
Province:
Nevsehir
District:
Ürgüp
Village:
Mustafapasa
Investigation Method:
Survey
Period:
AP

     


Location: This site lies east of the city of Nevsehir; 8 km south-southeast of the town of Ürgüp; 2 km northwest of the village of Karlik. It is possible to reach the site via the Nevsehir-Ürgüp-Mustafapasa highway.
Geography and Environment: The conical shape of volcanic Mount Avladag can be seen from the Aksaray Region. It has been noted that the finds were collected from a terrace 300 m below the highest terraces of Mount Avladag; east of the Damsa Stream Valley. The terrace which yielded the artifacts has been schematically represented in the site publication [Todd-Pasquare 1965:fig.1].
History:
Research and Excavation: Artifacts were collected from this site by geologist G. Pasquare in 1963-64 during his MTA geological survey of Central Anatolia. Todd who also surveyed the area in the same year published Pasquare's findings [Todd-Pasquare 1965:95-112]. (For information on the Palaeolithic at Avladag see Harmankaya-Tanindi 1996:Avla Dag).
Stratigraphy:
Small Finds: Perhaps the most important find of this site is the basalt 13x7.1x3.4 cm biface handaxe [Todd and Pasquare 1965:fig.12]. Enver Bostanci believes the biface is a Lower Palaeolithic; Upper Acheuléen handaxe. The fact that this is the first Lower Palaeolithic find from the Ürgüp Region adds to the importance of this tool. The Palaeolithic here needs to be studied more carefully. In addition to this handaxe; the researchers report that they also found over 1.000 fragments of obsidian tools and flakes. The dating of this site is particularly difficult because Levallois tools were found in the same context with Neolithic pressure flaked arrow and spearheads. Although it is tempting to assign this site to the end of the Upper Palaeolithic and beginning of the Epipalaeolithic; the Neolithic sickle blades; examples of pressure flaking and the fact that Levalloisien industries do continue in the Neolithic suggest that the site is post-Palaeolithic in date.
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating:


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