©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project

Kenan Tepe

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Kenan Tepe
Type:
 Mound
Altitude:
 530 m
Region:
 Southeastern Anatolia
Province:
 Diyarbakir
District:
 Bismil
Village:
 Kenan
Investigation Method:
 Excavation
Period:

     

Location: The site is located about 15 km east of the Bismil District in Diyarbakir Province; close to the Diyarbakir-Batman motorway.
Geography and Environment: Kenan Tepe is a large multi-period site composed of a tall central mound and extensive lower town stretching off to the northeast of the main mound. The site lies on a natural terrace and the top of the main town is 56.3 m above the Tigris River. The visible mounding extends for 225 m from southeast to northwest and 350 m from southwest to northeast. The Tigris River flows to the east of the mound and the road leading to the mound runs to the west. To the southeast; the village of Sefalik can be seen on a hill.
History:
Research and Excavation: The site is being excavated since 2000; by a team from the Upper Tigris Archaeological Research Project (UTARP) under the directorship of B.J. Parker from the University of Utah; Department of History. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Stratigraphy: During the archaeological researches; discontinuous occupation episodes during five broad time periods were identified. The earliest remains unearthed at Kenan Tepe belong to the Ubaid period. Ubaid period occupation is so far restricted to the eastern and southern slopes of the high mound. Remains dating to the Late Chalcolithic period have been discovered in abundance in the eastern most area of the mound. On the other hand the soundings performed on the upper settlement revealed the presence of Late Chalcolithic Age layers. It was found that the structures belong to Late Chalcolithic 3; Late Chalcolithic 4; and Late Chalcolithic 5 phases following the 14C dating of the finds [Parker 2007:324]. The remains from the Late Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age transition phase were also encountered. An analysis of the ceramics from various areas at Kenan Tepe combined with two carbon dates confirms that occupation at the site probably continued at least through the first half of the Early Bronze Age. Middle Bronze Age remains have been recovered on the eastern; western and northern slopes of the high mound. Thus far no in situ Late Bronze Age remains have been discovered. During the Early Iron Age; Kenan Tepe was probably a small settlement. During the Hellenistic Period the site contained a substantial fortification and after this period it was used as a cemetery [Parker et al. 2002c]. In 2007 research revealed a number of important Ubaid period contexts including outdoor work areas belonging to our Ubaid Phase 1 in trench D8, and a earlier phase of construction of our Ubaid Structure 3 in trench E2. Also found evidence for the latest phase of Ubaid period occupation at Kenan Tepe (Ubaid Phase 4) in trench D6 [Parker 2009:377-378].
Small Finds: Architecture: During the 2001 season; the remains of an Ubaid Period structure were found. The 2002 research was focused on this structure. The house consists of several mudbrick walls demarcating two rooms and separating them from a well-preserved outside work surface that abuts a large oven or kiln. At least one of the rooms has plastered earthen floors. During the 2002 field season; the remains of the mudbrick platform discovered in 2001 were removed; and it was discovered that this was a debris from several collapsed walls. This debris was assigned to the Late Chalcolithic Period and it consisted mostly of mudbricks measuring 20x40x10 cm. The orientation of the bricks has shown that much of the collapse had fallen from a wall located just south of and outside the trench. Some bricks were partially burnt and the debris sealed a thin burn layer clearly visible in section. From the step trench opened on the northern section in 2000; a series of walls running in the east-west direction were exposed. They were abutted on the south by a series of cobblestone surfaces. These finds were assigned to the Late Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Transition Phase. In 2002 three wall portions were unearthed from this area. They were built of at least four different types of mudbrick; each with a slightly different color. Between every ten or twelve courses of bricks the impressions and pseudomorphic remains of thick reed layers were recovered. These reed layers were probably used as damp courses and to add stability to the construction. Two of the walls may have been used as retaining walls and one may have supported a mudbrick platform. To the east of one wall was discovered a deep deposit of fill that was made of greenish kaolin-like clay granules and was nearly devoid of cultural material. This evidence suggests that the surface on the uphill side of the wall was leveled by depositing large amounts of sterile clay [Parker et al.2002c]. Researches were performed on the two rooms of the well preserved domestic building during excavations in 2005. In situ remains stratification was detected in the large; well preserved research area; north; and exterior of the rooms [Parker 2007:324-325]. The relatively new architectural structure called Building 2 of the Obeid Period has two adobe walls one in north-south; and the other in east-west direction. Those walls cross each other in straight angles forming rectangular or square shaped rooms or cells 1-1.5 m wide [Parker 2007:325]. There is a Late Chalcolithic Age street; the corner of an architectural structure; and underneath that a multi room Obeid Period domestic structure found at the upper settlement of Kenan Tepe; on the southeastern hill; during the expanded researches in 2005. This structure was called Building 3. It was destructed due to the pits made in later periods [Parker 2007:327]. In 2007 the aim was to complete the excavation of the Ubaid domestic buildings begun previously in Areas D and E, on the east slope of the high mound. In Area D Trench 4 the 2nd millennium deposits consisted of multiple layers of pebble streets, and then an erosion layer. Directly below were deposits of the latest Ubaid period (Ubaid Phase 4). They were followed by a burnt house of UP 2/3 with a large number of in situ artefacts and ecofacts. In this house were the remains of a collapsed roof with items that had been stored on the roof and preserved in the fire, including unbaked basins or tubs, charred grain and baskets. Below the roof were crushed vessels, seeds, animal bones, shells, stone tools, spindle whorls, ground stone items, two andirons and a clay cone. The southwestern part of the floor had been covered by a grass mat. This central room measured 7 x 3 m, with smaller rooms to east and north. In Trench D6 the southern part of this burnt house was excavated with more finds, including loomweights, bone awls, axe heads and jewellery. To the south of this building was an open area with outdoor work surfaces and fireplaces. In Trench D8 the cell-plan buildings of UP2 were removed and a building (Ubaid Structure 5) of UP1 excavated. This small unit measured at least 1.5 x 1.5 m but goes into the north and east baulks. To the south of it was an outdoor work surface. In the deposits below Ubaid Structure 5 were found outdoor surfaces, a large oven/kiln and an infant burial in a shallow pit lined with a textile or straw mat. On the southeast slope, in Trench E2, Ubaid Structure 3 was further investigated. This previously excavated cell-plan building of UP2/3 or 4 was revealed to have been rebuilt three times, with well-preserved surfaces producing pottery, lithics and animal bones. Microarchaeological studies of a sequence of surfaces in E2 dating from late Ubaid to early Late Chalcolithic revealed evidence of their use. From late Ubaid they were used for domestic activity, including processing and consumption of meat and other food and manufacture and use of stone tools. Later surfaces reveal a shift to a more mixed diet that included riverine molluscs [http://cat.une.edu.au/page/kenan%20tepe, 27.10.2009, 15:05]. Pottery: The Ubaid structure has yielded numerous examples of painted fine and unpainted coarse Ubaid pottery. Late Chalcolithic pottery includes simple-rim open cooking bowls; incurved rim bowls; a variety of hammerhead rim open bowls; cooking jars; squat carinated casseroles; and storage jars with bent necks. These forms are usually chaff tempered and sometimes burnished. "Fineware" bowls are often burnished and have both grit and chaff temper. Pottery was found in situ in one of the rooms of the Building 2 of the Obeid Period during the 2005 excavations [Parker 2007:325]. Chipped Stone: Obsidian and chert lithics and a fragment of a ground obsidian bowl dating to the Ubaid Period were found. Ground Stone: The Ubaid structure has yielded a stone pendant in the shape of a fish; several spindle whorls or beads and three possible fish net weights. Flora: An outside surface that abuts the north wall of the Ubaid structure was covered by compacted plant pseudomorphs. The examinations suggest that they are remains of barley chaff. This organic mass covered the pseudomorphic remains of a grass mat. At least two seeds; that went through changes were found in situ; in one of the rooms in Obeid Building 2 during the 2005 excavations [Parker 2007:325]. Bone/Antler: A bone bead was found. Human Remains: A grave was found in situ in one of the rooms at Obeid Building 2 during the 2005 excavations. The smaller bones such as the skull; hands; and arms bones are inside the cell; but the longer bones such as the legs; were found inside the neighboring trench wall [Parker 2007:325]. A grave was found which remained between the walls of Building 3 during the 2005 excavations. It was identified that the skeleton that was found inside a large ceramic vessel belongs to a female adult. It is assumed that this grave was used before; unlike the other grave. The skeleton was unearthed completely. Following the researches it is found that the head was first placed inside the vessel; then the vessel was placed on the building floor during the construction of Building 3 [Parker 2007:325].
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating: A carbon sample taken from the surface outside the Ubaid structure yielded a 2-sigma calibrated carbon date of 4800 to 4660 and 4640 to 4620 BC. The Late Chalcolithic Period samples have given the dates of between ca. 3600 and 3500 BC and the earliest ca. 3100 BC. The earliest context yielded 2-sigma calibrated carbon dates of: 3360-3030 BC (KT4157); 3630-3570 BC and 3540-3360 BC (KT4229); 3660-3620 BC; 3600-3520 BC (KT 4253]); and 3350 to 2910 BC (KT 4061) [Parker et al.2002c]. Based on the results of the excavations; it is suggested that Kenan Tepe was a small village during the Ubaid Period. The settlement expanded during the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Ages; and the lower mound was occupied extensively. By the end of the Late Chalcolithic or the beginning of the Early Bronze Age; the upper mound appears to have been fully or partly encircled by stone founded mudbrick walls. Since the remains dating to the Late Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age are not covered by later material; the data suggest that Kenan Tepe probably reached its largest extent during the late fourth and early third millennia BC [Parker et al. 2001]. The settlement has also yielded evidence of use at various times from the mid-fifth millennium BC through the Ottoman period. The results of the 2002 campaign strengthen the fact that Late Chalcolithic pottery assemblage belong to south "Uruk" style [Parker-Dodd 2011:706]. Based on the carbon samples taken from the building basin; the hearth on that basin; and the ceramics analysis; it was found that the remains date to the Late Northern Ubaid culture which is approximately 4600 BC [Parker 2007:324-325]. Due to the small size of the cells it is hard to say that they were inhabited. It may be assumed that they were used as cellars of the houses. The reason to form such small cells may be elevating the house height through the wooden saturation from the ground in order to protect them from the floods which are also a current problem during winter. Similar examples may be seen at Çayönü [Parker 2007:326]. As aresult of the soundings that were performed no architectural remains nor ceramics could be found at the upper settlement in Kenan Tepe that date to Ubaid or Late Chalcolithic periods. Based on this; it may be said that there were no settlements at both periods in Kenan Tepe settlement [Parker 2007:327-328]. Likewise; it may be said that no settlement existed at the lower settlement that date to Ubaid Period due to the lack of finds that date to this period [Parker 2007:328].


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