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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Çukur Definesi |
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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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Single Findspot |
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Altitude:
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1400 m |
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Region:
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Central Anatolia |
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Province:
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Kayseri |
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District:
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Felahiye |
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Village:
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Çukur |
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Investigation Method:
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Survey |
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Period:
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EBA III |
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| Location: It lies where the sand quarries are located; 3 km northeast of the Çukurköy Village; 16 km northeast of the Felahiye District; northeast of the Kayseri Province. |
| Geography and Environment: While the sands on the east of Küfeylik Tepe in the valley formed by the Domuz and Kagnidere streams extending to the northeast from the village were dug; a hoard including metallic wares in a big brown jar was recovered. Neither architectural remains nor any graves were found where the jar was discovered. However; a mound; which became very flat due to continuous ploughing; is reported 1 km southwest of this findspot [Kodan 1987:map.1]. |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: The hoard discovered by coincidence (?) during the removal of sand in 1983 was brought to the Museum of Kayseri. The museum staff conducted a small survey around the findspot; however no traces were found whereas in the flat settlement 1 km far from the findspot; sherds of the coarse EBA ware were recovered. |
| Stratigraphy: |
| Small Finds: Metal: The hoard included lots of copper/bronze finds. 11 pieces of hatchet-like shaft-holed axe; 3 pieces of double edged shaft-holed axes; 13 pieces of castanet (cymbal) were recovered. Also found is a baton head. The back of the hatchet-like shaft-holed axe is folded. It is all casted. Except one; all edges are sharp. The shafts are thick. Their length varies from 9.1 to 13.3 cm and width from 9.5 to 11.5 cm [Kodan 1987:pic.36-37]. Likes of those axes were recovered at Mahmatlar and Oymaagaç cemetery (?). The round edge of one of the axes was toothed [Kodan 1987:pic.38]. The holes of the double edged shaft-holed axes are not in the middle. The edges are not sharp; but blunt [Kodan 1987:pic.39-41]. 13 of the castanets were all cast in separate moulds. Their height ranges between 4.1-6.2 cm while the diameter between 5.1 and 7.6 cm. The diagonal hole on the handles probably was used to tie a couple of castanets [Kodan 1987:pic.42]. The baton head with a size of 5.4-5.1 cm is also identified as a butt head. It is groove decorated. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: The findspot of this hoard; at present preserved at the Museum of Kayseri; is suspectfull. Is it actually the sand quarry? It is difficult to answer. Maybe it was buried here by a trader from Kültepe; for some reasons; hastily while he/she was passing through the natural alley or did the treasure hunters who recovered this hoard from another settlement or graves on the north misdirect the authorities? It is unknown. Furthermore; as it is highlighted by Kodan; there are missing items in the hoard. For example; the castanets should be in even numbers. Moreover; the hoard doesn't include any precious metals. When the items are analysed; it became certain that they all belong to the third millennium BC (EBA III). Likes of those items were found at EBA settlements and cemeteries like Mahmatlar; Oymaagaç; Horoztepe Dere Mahallesi and Ahlatlibel. |
