|
©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
|
|
|
|
|
|
Degirmentepe |
|
|
For site maps and drawings please click on the picture...  |
For photographs please click on the photo...  |
|
Type:
|
Mound |
|
Altitude:
|
m |
|
Region:
|
Eastern Anatolia |
|
Province:
|
Elazig |
|
District:
|
Içme |
|
Village:
|
Kiraç |
|
Investigation Method:
|
Excavation |
|
Period:
|
Middle Iron Age |
|
|
|
  |
|
| Location: It was located 2 km southeast of the Kirac (Ilemil) Village; 22 km east of the Elazig Province before it was flooded by the Keban Dam. |
| Geography and Environment: It was looking like a natural hill from a distance; located on the edge of the soft ridges bordering the Murat Suyu on the west on the eastern end of the Altinova Plain. Therefore; it went unnoticed by the scientists conducting surveys in the vicinity of Elazig. It was reported to be a slope settlement [Duru 1979a:4]. The eastern side was severely damaged by a modern irrigation channel. The mound was named after a mill on the eastern part. It was reported to measure 11 m in height and 130x120 m in dimensions. The height was decreased down to ca. 9 m due to erosion (R. Whallon reports it as 7 m). |
| History: |
| Research and Excavation: It was identified under no. 0 54/3 by R. Whallon and S. Kantman [Whallon 1979:188-194, fig.90], and the survey yielded sherds dating to the Late Chalcolithic Age, Early Bronze Age I and II, probably IIIa, and Early Iron Age. The excavations conducted under R. Duru lasted only for one season (1973), and terminated in early 1974 as the mound submerged within a short period of time. However, the virgin soil was not reached during the excavations. |
| Stratigraphy: According to Refik Duru, the hilltop trench contains 4 building levels dating to the Early Bronze Age while on the slope there are two building levels from the Iron Age. The excavations yielded pottery from the Late Chalcolithic Age, Early Bronze Age I and II, probably IIIa, and Early Iron Age. |
| Small Finds: Architecture: The excavations carried out in this village type of settlement yielded 4 building levels belonging to the last two phases of the Early Bronze Age. An Iron Age settlement with two phases was identified in the Area B-C. In the earliest building level of the Early Bronze Age settlements (building level IV) the remains had three phases, and the structures of these settlements were very sound with stone foundations. The building level III has three phases. The most significant difference in the third layer than the previous layer was absence of any stone foundations. The house walls were either erected by clay or mud or fenced and then covered by mud. In the second levels of the structures, stone was used for foundations. Almost any of the structures have elevated platforms at the bottom of walls, hearths at the center of the room and ovens in a corner. The hearths and ovens have a standard plan. Among the identified architectural elements are structures with stone foundations from the Iron Age. The building levels of the Iron Age were unearthed on the western and eastern skirts. The trench B yielded two building levels. While the upper structure is from the later period, the lower one is an earlier building. It is considered as the latest building level of the Iron Age. Pottery: The main pottery include handmade black or brown burnished "Karaz" type of ware, widely used in the region. Other ceramics seem to be wheelmade ware of the North Mesopotamia and North Syria. It appears that a primitive wheelmade ceramic tradition, which was very common in Eastern Anatolia, was also present at this site during the Iron Age. Majority of the vessels are unslipped. They are usually in red or tile red. The most prominent feature of the Iron Age pottery is the deep bi-conical bowls with grooved rims. There are also samples of bi-conical ungrooved vessels. Large jugs were abundatly produced. Also paint decorated vessels were recovered from Degirmentepe. They are decorated with zigzag motif by red paint. The pottery of Degirmentepe is comparable with the neighbouring settlements at Tepecik, Norsuntepe and Korucutepe. |
| Remains: |
| Interpretation and Dating: Short-term excavations were carried out at Degirmentepe. The excavations yielded Early Iron Age finds, but mainly Early Bronze Age. While the Early Bronze Age finds were unearthed on the hilltop, the Early Iron Age material were found on the slopes. The most prominent feature of the ceramics dated to the Early Age is the presence of bi-conical deep bowls with groove decorated rims and large jugs. |
