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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Sehremuz ve Çevresi |
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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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Habitation Site / Workshop |
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Altitude:
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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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Samsat |
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Village:
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Hacihalilan |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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AP OP ÜP |
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| Location: This open-air site was located southeast of the city of Adiyaman and northwest of the Euphrates River Valley before it was submerged beneath the Atatürk Dam Lake. The site was bounded by the district of Agaköy and the Çevrin highway to the north; by the ridge immediately northwest of the Dökülün Ridge to the west; by the Gavurbaglari vineyards to the east and by the Gazikumçakiranalar to the southeast. It was located in and around Sehremuz; a region above the Kelusk Stream before it empties into the Hamiskan Stream. It also lay north of the town of Samsat; a town which has now been completely flooded by the dam lake [Yalçinkaya 1984:map of plan 1]. The survey code of this site is T 51 / 22. |
| Geography and Environment: Because the Sehremuz Ridge is especially rich in flintstone outcrops; the area has been a preferred location for prehistoric occupation. Along with small stream such as the Kelusk; the Euphrates has been flowing through the region supplying people and animals with water. Hunting was probably a long practiced means of subsistence because the fertile region by the Euphrates must have attracted wild herbivores. The streamlets in the region have given the area an undulating appearance although there is a flat terrace above the Sehremuz Ridge. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: This open-air site was discovered by M. Özdogan during his 1977 survey of the area expected to be flooded by the Atatürk Dam Lake; in the Lower Euphrates Basin. Because the survey yielded finds that were important in understanding the Palaeolithic of Turkey; the site was resurveyed by Yalçinkaya; Müller-Beck and Albrecht in 1979. This survey was systematically conducted. The area was divided into a grid plan of 4x4 m and all artifacts including debitage products and unworked cores were collected. A geomorphological study of the area was also conducted. Excavation in 1982; led by the same crew; revealed that two different chipped stone industries presided in the same area in different geological layers. One of these industries; found on the eastern bank of the Kelusk Stream; has been assigned to the Middle Palaeolithic Period while the other; found among the Kelusk gravels includes bifaces and flake tools assigned to the Lower Palaeolithic [Albrecht et al. 1984:44]. The tools are denser towards the top of the ridge; especially when compared with the riverbed and lower terraces; and are collected at about 15 m beneath the foot of the steeper slope. In addition to the 1982 excavations at the site; Yalçinkaya from Ankara University DTCF Department of Archaeology; Subdepartment of Prehistory conducted a foot survey in the Sehremuz Region; in an area approximately 8x8 square kilometers in size; where she tried correlating the artifacts with their relative elevations [Yalçinkaya 1984:13-20]. Her results showed that most artifacts scatters were gathered at an altitude between 550 and 600 m [Yalçinkaya 1984: map in plan 1]. Yalçinkaya further reports that it is difficult to conclude whether this site was an atelier or an occupation site. With the exception of Artifact Scatter 15; namely KUNÇKIRACI TEPE; all the artifacts have been assigned to the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Periods. |
| Stratigraphy: |
| Small Finds: The chipped stone artifacts and other flintstone nodules; mostly unearthed by the eroding Kelusk River; are hardly abraded. Microscopic studies of the tools showed that the tools were used for breaking bone and cutting meat. While the tools with wide cutting edges tended to be used for deep incisions and slicing meat and other materials; the tools with narrow cutting edges tended to be used for skinning and similar activities [Albrecht et al. 1984:43-86]. Several pointed small handaxes; side and end scrapers with striking platforms; end scrapers and notched scrapers made from small flakes can also be found at the site [Özdogan 1977:115]. The results of Yalçinkaya's surface survey show that bifaces occur concentrated in groups. Of the 25 artifact clusters; especially Artifact Scatter 4a at an altitude between 500 and 550 m yielded a high number of bifaces [Yalçinkaya 1984:fig.V]. Bifaces can also be found in Artifact Scatters 4; 8a and 8. The number of bifaces appear to decrease at higher altitudes; for example between 550 and 600 m at Artifact Scatters 1; 2; 3; 10; 14; 16 where flake industries are more common; bifaces are completely absent. This equation; however; is not always justified because Artifact Scatter 11 at the same elevation contains some characteristic; well-made biface handaxes. The western bank of the Kelusk Stream also yielded some bifaces. In addition to biface implements; these artifacts clusters collectively include cores; thick and rough flakes; Parrot's beak burins; side scrapers and other chipped stone artifacts. Yalçinkaya tentatively concludes that classic biface handaxe assemblages tend to be located at lower altitudes such as 500-550 m; while flake industries are more common at 550-600 m above sea-level [Yalçinkaya 1984:17]. Artifact Scatter 15 on the eastern slopes of Kunçkiraci Tepe yielded pyramidal and discoid cores; other disc shaped tools; end scrapers; burins; drills; core revival pieces; and flakes [Yalçinkaya 1984:fig. XII-XIII]. After finding a Levallois core and some flakes and blades chipped in this method in this area; Yalçinkaya assigned this artifact cluster to the Upper Palaeolithic. She further believes that the Middle Palaeolithic small pyramidal core bladelets found in the same area indicate that this tradition persists in the Upper Palaeolithic [Yalçinkaya 1984:18]. It can be concluded that the Kesuk Stream and its branches were occupied by people who knew Lower (?); Middle; Upper Acheuléen; Levalloiso-Moustérien; Pre Aurignacien (?) and Lower Aurignacien techniques. The research conducted at this site recovered a total of 197 biface handaxes of which 120 are whole. A large percentage of the site dates to the Middle and Upper Acheuléen [Taskiran 1990:47]. |
| Remains: |
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