©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:
Ceramic

     


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: Many finds dating to different periods were identified within the 80-100 cm excavated. The lower layers of a dark; black; ashy rubble stratum yielded Neolithic ceramics while the level beneath this yielded Upper Palaeolithic finds which were dated to 12;000-10;030 B.P. in ASPRO. These finds appear to be contemporaneous with Natufian finds from the Levant (For more information; see Harmankaya-Tanindi 1996:Direkli Magarasi).
Small Finds: Pottery: No information has been provided on the ceramic finds from the lower levels of the stratum. The ceramics might be dark burnished ware [Kökten 1960:49; fig.IV/8-10]. Chipped Stone: Obsidian blades were found.
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating: The site has been assigned to phases 5/6 in ASPRO and is dated to 8;000-7;000 BP. Neolithic habitation of the cave should be viewed with skepticism.


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