|
©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
|
|
|
|
|
|
Belentepe |
|
|
For site maps and drawings please click on the picture...  |
For photographs please click on the photo...  |
|
Type:
|
Cemetery |
|
Altitude:
|
m |
|
Region:
|
Aegean |
|
Province:
|
Mugla |
|
District:
|
Milas |
|
Village:
|
Çakiralan |
|
Investigation Method:
|
Excavation |
|
Period:
|
|
|
|
|
  |
|
| Location: It is situated within Çakiralan Village boundaries in Milas District of Mugla Province. |
| Geography and Environment: |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: During the public utilities' decoupage works at Yenikoy, 1 km south of the village a grave was revealed. In 2006, excavations on the grave began under the supervision of the Directorate of Milas Museum's and later carried out by Lagina excavation team. The excavations continued with a team from the Milas Museum in 2011. In 2013, 33 graves were moved to Ören Archaeopark. |
| Stratigraphy: |
| Small Finds: |
| Remains: 46 burials were excavated and and 15 soundings performed in 2007. The graves usually lying in northeast-southwest direction were built using smooth surfaced limestone plates, then these were closed using the same kind of blocks which are larger in dimensions. The number of the stones used as lids differ according to grave dimensions. Bedrock, pressed calcareous soil and stone plates were used on the burial basins. The graves display a rich variety of architecture styles and most were built in knit vessel technique. Grave rooms with and without dromos were found built of irregular plates and rectangular fine cut stones with smooth surfaces. Besides, there are carved vessels and pithoi as well. Both inhumations and cremation was observed in these burials. Grave rooms with dromos were usually built of cut stones and contained two rooms. The front rooms of these were built of two straight plates the rear rooms were vault shaped. There were either two or three klinae inside the graves. The legs of klinae were elaborately worked in lion's foot shape. Niches were opened on three façades of the walls and osthotheks some of them bearing inscriptions were placed inside these niches. The most interesting group among the graves according to their architecture, number of burials and number of finds is the graves group with pit shaped dromoi built in knit vessel type graves. Late Geometric Period finds were revealed in all these graves. The presence of skeletons found in situ inside the klinae suggest that the klinae were also used for burials. The cremation burials contain the examples where the cinder was put directly inside the grave in addition to the ones that were put inside terra cotta vessels. Some of the graves were used for a second or even a third time. There is no unity in the laying method of the skeletons. The kids were laid in hocker a semi-hocker position and the adults were laid in semi-hocker position and on their back. The graves contained various items made of terra cotta, bone, glass and various metals. The 15 soundings that were opened in Belentepe contained 7 buildings and independent wall remains. Three of these buildings belonged to Classical Period, three to Hellenistic and one to Byzantine Period. But there were no Roman Period structure remains [Tirpan-Sögüt (Z. Gider) 2009:254-256]. During 2008 excavations 9 Late Geometric period, 19 Classic period and 28 Hellenistic period graves were revealed. Based on initial data on Hellenistic period graves there were signs pointing out at the presence of family graves in that area. Knit vessel graves were identified cut inside the bedrock and partially elevated through the use of flat surfaced limestones. The graves were dated to 320-220 BC [Tırpan-Söğüt (Z. Gider) 2010:516-517]. On the north slope, the continuation of the Hellenistic buildings found in 2008 (used as shops?) was revealed. These buildings were built in accordance with the topography and new units were gradually added. A large number of rock cavities and pithoi were found in the east of these buildings. It is suggested it was a storage area related with the shop [Savran-Ertürk 2016:538-9]. The 2011-2012 excavations yielded 1 Archaic grave, 83 Hellenistic graves, and 126 East Roman graves. Coins, unguentaria, bowls, plates, and ornaments were left as burial goods. The coin tradition in which the coins placed on the mouth and eyes of the deceased also exist here [Özbey 2014:48-50]. During the 2013 excavations, 3 Archaic graves, 5 Classical graves, 35 Hellenistic graves, and 26 East Roman graves were exposed. On the skirt of the north slope facing the south, a chambered tomb with a dromos enclosed by a peribolos wall in tholos plan was found, which is the first example in Belentepe. It is revealed that the tomb was built at the beginning of the 4th century BC and used until the 1st century BC- 1st century AD [Özbey 2015:236; 241]. During the 2014 excavations, 1 Classical grave (which was also used in later periods) and 16 Hellenistic graves were exposed [Savran-Ertürk 2016:542]. In 2013, foundations of 4 buildings were exposed on the south slope and it is found out that these foundations continued towards the northeast in 2014. The majority of these buildings are farms [Savran-Ertürk 2016:538-9]. |
| Interpretation and Dating: |
