©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project


Birecik Yöresi

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Birecik Yöresi
Type:
Single Findspot
Altitude:
m
Region:
Southeastern Anatolia
Province:
Gaziantep
District:
Nizip
Village:
Investigation Method:
Survey
Period:
AP OP

     


Location: This site lies west of the city of Sanliurfa; west of the town of Birecik on one of the terraces of the Euphrates. The terrace is located between the villages of Surtepe and Tilvez. Tilvez is west of the village of Surtepe; which is 5-6 km northwest of the town of Birecik. The site is also close to the town of Nizip and the highway that runs between Birecik and Nizip.
Geography and Environment: The town of Birecik lies on the undulating plains of the province of Sanliurfa. The plain slopes down as it reaches the Euphrates to its west. There are many terraces along the banks of the river here. Because the bed of the Euphrates is wider at this point; crossing by boat is relatively easy. The geographic make-up of the western side of the river which lies in the Gaziantep province is very similar. The mountainous area begins further west; near the town of Nizip.
History:
Research and Excavation: The Birecik region is important because it is one of the first regions where prehistoric artifacts were found in Turkey. E. Chantre reports that J. E. Gautier found a chipped stone tool among the alluvial deposits of the Euphrates in the Birecik region in 1894. The exact provenience of this chipped stone tool was not reported [Chantre 1898:132; fig. 100]. In 1946; I.K. Kökten conducted a surface survey in this region following the information outlined by Gautier. Although he surveyed the region east of the river as well; Kökten reports that he found chipped stone tools only in the area north of the westerly bend of the Euphrates; between the villages of Surtepe and Tilvez [Kökten 1947a: 162-163]. In 1947; W. Brice of Manchester University found a Chellen (Abevillen) type biface; two cores and a large Moustérien flake somewhere close to the Birecik-Nizip highway [Kansu 1946a:161]. In 1986 Minzoni-Deroche led a survey across from the town of Birecik in the area west of the Euphrates; within the Gaziantep province borders. No information on the finds has yet been provided.
Stratigraphy:
Small Finds: The tool found by Gautier considered to be the first chipped stone find of Turkey is a large (20x9 cm) biface handaxe; retouched regularly on one side. Chantre describes this biface as Acheuléen [Chantre 1898:132]. K. Bittel proposes that this tool was abraded as it was brought here from the north by water and other natural processes and further suggests that although it is worn; it is in fact almond shaped. While Kökten also agrees that the find is a typical Acheuléen biface; H. Taskiran and Tomsky more specifically assign it to the Middle Acheuleen and Late Acheuléen respectively[Taskiran 1990:35]. Even though Kökten does not describe the tools he found; he indicates that they are made of flint and removed using Clactonien and Levalloiso-Moustérien techniques [Kökten 1947b:225-226; fig. 1]. W. Brice mailed the artifacts he found by the Nizip-Birecik highway to Sevket Aziz Kansu with a letter suggesting that the tools were either Clactonien cores or types of cleavers and choppers that resemble Palaeolithic Chinese Burma Industries. In his publications; Kansu mentions that he agrees with Brice's claim; suggesting that they are choppers. He further explains that these tools are especially important in the Anatolian Palaeolithic and that similar tools have been found at the site of Barda Balka within the borders of modern Iraq [Kansu 1964a:163; fig. 5-6]. Yalçinkaya believes that neither tool is a chopper and instead hold the opinion that one of these tools is a cleaver while the other is a core [Yalçinkaya 1985:398; 403]. Although drawings of three flakes found by Brice have been published by Kansu [Kansu 1964a:fig. 7]; the more controversial chopper/cleaver finds have not been included.
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating:


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