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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Taskun Mevkii |
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Type:
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Mound |
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Altitude:
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845 m |
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Region:
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Eastern Anatolia |
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Province:
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Elazig |
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District:
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Merkez |
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Village:
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Muratcik |
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Investigation Method:
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Excavation |
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Period:
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EBA I |
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| Location: It lies 8.5 km west of the Balibey Sub-District; 5 km southeast of Asvan (submerged at present); and 30 km northwest of the Elazig Province as the crow flies. The motorway running from Elazig to Asvan passes by the settlement. It has not been influenced by the Keban Dam even tough the waters of the lake come near. Only 1 km far from Taskun Kale; it is sometimes evaluated together within the same culture in the publications [Korfmann et al. 1994:200]. It is coded under N 52 / 1. |
| Geography and Environment: It is a round; low and flat mound; 110 m in diameter [Sagona 1984b:5] located on the western bank of a seasonal stream in the Valley of Kuruçay. It is 5.6 m high on the northern part while only 3.2 m high on the southern part. To the southwest lies a small fresh water spring. S. Helms propose that the swap area around the mound met the water requirements of the inhabitants [Helms 1972:51]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was discovered by R. Whallon and S. Kantman during the Keban Project surveys in 1967 [Whallon 1979:161-163]; and excavated in 1971 and 1973 by S. Helms under D.H. French as a part of the Asvan Project. The trenchs were opened on the northern part of the mound; mainly aiming to identify the stratification. |
| Stratigraphy: As a result of the excavation; 4 main layers were identified [Helms 1979:5]. Among these levels; levels 1 and 2 were subdivided into levels A and B. The presence of sherds belonging to the painted ware of EBA III on the surface indicates that a settlement of this period has been demolished due to some reasons like erosion; etc. The virgin soil was reached. |
| Small Finds: Architecture (ascending order): The upper layer 1 yielded remains of stone walls extending to the south and the west. No exact plan was obtained. A lot of pits were uncovered. Two constructions consisting of mudbrick walls were uncovered in layer 2B. It is suggested by Helms that those constructions are storehouses rather than dwellings [French et al. 1974:34]. It is probable that the section where the trench was opened was employed as an open square in this building level. It is not possible to know it exactly as the trench couldn't be enlarged. The layer 3 provided the best architectural remains. Four structures built of mudbrick on a stone socle were uncovered. Between the houses; there are spaces. The excavator reports that the fourth structure was a storehouse; the first and third structures were flour-grinding houses and granary and the fourth one is the far outer structure of the village [French et al. 1979:5]. The northern part of the excavated area was not inhabited [French et al. 1974:34]. A thick house wall was recovered in layer 4. Below that layer; two building levels standing on the virgin soil are assumed to belong to this layer. Pottery: Three main groups of ware were indicated by S. Helms [French et al. 1972:51-52]. The first group of ware is red painting decorated ware on a light cream colored background and buffed colored ware decorated with incised triangles and dots collected from the surface. The painted ware identified as the Malatya-Elazig painted ware and dating to the midst of EBA has triangle and wavy incision patterns. The ware introduced as second group by S. Helms is buffed colored burnished ware which can be seen through all the levels. The changes are minimal. The third group of ware is pink and cream colored ware. This ware is also recovered from all levels. But; A. Sagona introduces; probably; the same group of ware in different names. He claims that handmade; red-black burnished ware (Karaz/Early Transcaucasian ware) and wheel-made; light colored and fine productions are the common ware groups [Sagona 1994:6-7]. Limited number of forms of Karaz ware was found. Samples of reserved slip decorated ware and Nineveh V-type ware are rare. Clay: The geometrically decorated cylindirical seal recovered from the layer 3 was not fired after shaped by clay [Sagona 1984:fig.69/6]. Fragments of figurines in unbaked earth were found. Also found are simple heads of spindle whorls made by piercing the sherds [Sagona 1984:fig.70/1-10]. A small cylindrical seal made of gray clay bears three scorpion patterns. Chipped Stone: The most prominent samples are flint blades crosscut in trapezoidal and triangular; bifacial smoothed spearheads [Sagona 1984:fig.69/1-3]. Ground Stone: The grinding stones made by treating the raw material of basalt are evidences of an intense grinding process in the settlement. Also found are crushing stones and a pierced object in discoid form. Bone/Antler: Awls; blades; objects in discoid forms; various forms of perforated necklaces indicate that the bone material is worked and employed for different purposes in daily life [Sagona 1984:fig.69/4-5]. Metal: Among the restricted number of metallic finds are a copper pin with strangled neck; a pin decorated with vertical lines and a couple of spirals in copper/bronze [Sagona 1984:fig.68/4-5; 8-9]. Human Remains: A human skeleton was recovered from the surface buried in hocker position and accompanied with grave goods. The date of this simple pit burial is uncertain. Flora: The residues recovered from a big pithos belong to barley and durum wheat. Aside those finds; grass and reed seeds are seen. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Taskun Mevkii is an agriculture-dependent settlement providing good evidence for EBA I; a phase rarely excavated in Eastern Anatolia. The excavation revealed that the main stratification was formed during this period whereas the finds of EBA III recovered from the surface exposed that the upper settlement belonging to this phase was demolished due to cultivation and erosion. No prominent and distinctive cultural change was observed among the levels. The cylindrical seal in level 3 have characteristics of Jamdat Nasr period while the plastered circular ground basin of the same level is comparable to the Amuq Phase H. The pottery industry recovered during the excavation was examined in detail by A. Sagona [Sagona 1994:pl.27-88] who compares the finds with the ones recovered from Eastern and Southeastern settlements; and recognizes cautiously that Taskun Mevkii is contemporary with Aslantepe VIB; Hassek Höyük 1-4 and Kurban Höyük V [Sagona 1994:9]. Given the late reserved slip decorated ware of Northern Mesopotamia; Jamdat Nasr ware; and Nineveh V ware; he also highlights the relation between this region and Anatolia. Based on the carbon dating of Aslantepe VI B; we can include the levels except the deposit on the surface level in the first quarter of the third millennium BC (3000-2800 BC). |
