©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project


Direkli Magarasi

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Direkli Mağarası
Type:
Cave
Altitude:
1130 m
Region:
Mediterranean
Province:
Kahramanmaras
District:
Merkez
Village:
Döngel
Investigation Method:
Excavation
Period:
ÜP EP

     


Location: This cave-site lies east of the former settlement of Döngel Village and west of the new one which is 38 km; as the crow flies; northwest of the city of Kahramanmaras.
Geography and Environment: The presence of many caves in the vicinity suggests that it is a karstic region (for more information on the caves in this area; see the site of Yaglik in this volume). Direkli Cave faces south and Tekir Stream flows west of the cave. There must be nearby springs.
History:
Research and Excavation: Cultural material in this cave was discovered in 1958. The following year a 3x4 m test-trench was opened near the entrance. (In ASPRO; the trench is reported to be 25 square meters [Hours et al. 1994:117]). Kökten reports that the uppermost dark and ashy layer was 80-100 cm deep and yielded mixed material. A reddish layer with ashy pits resembling ovens or hearths lay beneath it. Kökten assigns the artifacts in this layer to the Upper Aurignacien (at the end of the Upper Palaeolithic). In the 175 cm excavated; bedrock was not reached. Kökten reports that the excavation of the Upper Palaeolithic strata have not yet been completed. The site was visited by C.M. Erek and his team in 2006 during the "Prehistoric Archaeological Survey of Kahramanmaras Province". Finds from the site indicate that the settlement had the potantial to provide significant knowledge on the gaps within the chronology of Anatolian Palaeolithic. In 2007, excavations started under the directory of Kahramanmaras Museum with C.M. Erek as the scientific advisor [Erek 2009:325]. Since 2012, C.M. Erek has been leading the excavations at Direkli Cave.
Stratigraphy:
Small Finds: The finds from this Palaeolithic layer include some blade-knives; drills; burins; scrapers and cores all made from flint [Kökten 1960:fig V-VI]. In addition; it must be noted that some flint microliths as well as several bone tools including an awl; were found [Kökten 1960:fig.VII]. The faunal remains of this site are also very important. The teeth and skeletal fragments of several Upper Palaeolithic carnivores and herbivores including bear; dog; bison; deer; wild pig and beaver have been recovered. In 2012, the studies carried out in the south and north plan squares. The reason that the cave divided as south and north plan square is that the texture of sediment in both areas are completely different from each other. The data obtained from the previous excavations show that the 7th archaeological level represents the living floor of Epipalaeolithic Period. This archaeological level yielded a "basin-like" grave. The grave was exposed in the plan square B11 and C11 in which the west profile and north profile intersect. The stones which began to appear in the 6th archaeological level surround the grave and they were droopily placed into the grave. The grave comprises of two sets of stones. The north edge of it leans against a large rock. The south edge, on the other hand, rests against a stone block that stands upright. The fill of the grave yielded a great number of beads made out of bone, stone, marine and terrestrial shells. However, no human remains were found. Epipalaeolithic burials are also known from Levant region. The most famous ones are Ain Mallaha (Eynan), Hayonim Terrace and Hilazon Tachtit. The 14C date of the 7th archaeological level is ±10.730 BC. This date corresponds to Late Natufian Period that is one of the Epipalaeolithic cultures of Near East. However, all the data obtained from Direkli Cave indicate the Early Natufian [Erek 2014]. Clay: The excavations carried out in B5/7th archaeological level in 2009 yielded a baked clay woman figurine [Erek 2014:74]. Chipped stone: The primary raw material of the Direkli Cave chipped stone industry consists of radiolarite and flintstone. Out of 1502 chipped stone material 122 were identified as tools. The primary group of tools are crescent moon shaped. The second group are the crested blades and front scrapers. The third group consists of stone perforators the fourth group of tips and the fifth of Dufour bladelets. The 2011 studies yielded flintstone geometric microliths, knapping debitages, single grip cores. Among these finds, a specimen of trapezoid shaped geometric microliths which hasn't been seen in previous years was discovered. Thumbnail end scrapers that were known in previous years were recovered from the south plan squares as well. During the 2012 studies, it was observed that the number of lunates of geometric microliths in the 6th and 7th archaeological levels increased. In the level 7a, b and c, curved backed bladelets including straight-backed bladelets were found. 2 end scrapers were also found. The excavations carried out in the plan squares G5 and H5 show that the number of blank support bladelets began to increase in the 6th archaeological level. The fact that these non-retouched bladelets are in high density in the plan square G and H indicate that this area could have been used as workshop. The 2012 studies yielded obsidian bladelets and knapping waste in low density as well. The obsidian show similarities with the ones known from Göllü Dag [Erek 2014:75]. Bone / Antler: Very aesthethical and elaborately made bone tools were unearthed during excavations. These bone tools included a needle with an eye-hole, another with a ballhead and a spatula. In 2011, an awl was found. In 2012, a bone spear belonging to the beginning of 7th archaeological level and the end of 6th archaeological level in plan square G11. This bone spear was found in situ [Erek 2014:75]. Beads and bead cores: Among the find groups the ones frequently observed during Late Upper Palaeolithic and Epipalaeolithic are beads and the bead cores which are used for producing beads. The 2007 finds include beads made of bones, stones, dentalia, Nasarius gibbosula and scorpion legs. In 2011, Nasarius, gibbosula and dentalium shell beads were found. Mineral: An arrowhead, and a knife were found but based on the similar specimens found during other surveys these were related with Medieval Age. Fauna: The animal bone finds of the cave mostly belong to herbivores. Among the roughly observed species there are sheep, goats, antelopes and boars [Erek 2009:327-332]. The analysis performed on the faunal remains of Direkli Cave shows that the cave was used as a short-term logistic camp to hunt wild goats (C. aegagrus) that lived in the high heels during the Late Epipalaeolithic Period. In addition, small-sized animals such as deers and tortoises that existed in the woodland near the cave. The fact that the low density of remains and the data indicating seasonal occupation point that the Epipalaeolithic hunter-gatherers were highly mobile. The existence of body parts of the animals indicates that the hunter carried their games to the cave and the hunt itself took place in the rocky slopes in the north and east of the cave [Arbuckle-Erek 2010].
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating: A very similar specimen of the sewing needle that was found during the 2007 campaign was previously found inside the Öküzini cave. Spatulas are found widespread among other bone tool groups of Upper and Epipalaeolithic stations. These are particularly used in the leather craftsmanship, and were collected during the first year of the Direkli Cave excavations which suggest an intense use of the cave during Late Palaeolithic periods. Because the appearance of both activities in the same period is a sign of the continuity of the lifespan and the production chain. There are also some clues on the cutting and smoothing operations in the bone tool production [Erek 2009:331]. The presence of abundant crescent moon shaped tools among the chipped stone tools may suggest that Direkli Cave is culturally closer to Levant characteristics [Erek 2009:329]. Except for a few specimens the sherds collected inside the cave are small ones. Although their forms could not be identified these were mostly wheel-turned, unelaborately made coarse vessels' sherds which suggest the cave was temporarily used during late periods. The studies carried out in 2011 show that the southern and northern sections of the cave were intensively used as a living area. This fact shows that the adaptation and living conditions of Younger Dryas Period which was developed within Epipalaeolithic have been used at the maximum level.


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