While most archaeologists secretly aspire to find the oldest, the largest,
the first, and the most spectacular site to research, the Amuq Valley
sites in southern Turkey have represented none of these ideal cases. On
the contrary, it is known as a region where secondary power nodes emerged
as is evident by the kingdoms of Mukish (in the Middle/Late Bronze Age),
Unqi, Kunulua or Wadasatini (in the Iron Age) and Antioch (Classical and
The first three seasons at Alalakh (2000-2002) were aimed at preparing the site for excavation by generating topographic maps, intensive surface surveying, and finally producing an inventory of previously excavated finds stored in the Antakya Archaeological Museum. In 2003, a full season of excavations was initiated at Tell Atchana between September 2 and October 8th with an international staff of 35 and 65 workers from the local villages. Our dig headquarters, long on the drawing board, are now successfully located in the village of Tayfur Sokmen, three miles from the site.
Fig 1: Plan of the excavated squares in 2003.Plan by Aaron Burke
Area 1 contained two of the 10 x 10 squares in the northern sector of
the site, where a hump of earth had been left unexcavated in front of
Woolley`s dig house. We suspected that we may be able to find the west
wing of a Level II/III building called the "Military Fortress" by
Woolley because of its massive walls. Actually, we now know that the monumental
public building had been constructed in the style of Hittite architecture
and informs on Hittite cultural suzerainty during the last two centuries
(14-12th centuries) of the settlement. The tops of thick mudbrick walls
and three chambers appeared and the squares were left intact for future
exposure (Fig. 2). Much of the finds in this area came from the fill layers
and thus have poor contextual provenance. Interestingly, we found that
Woolley had used this area as his sherd yard and a great quantity of good
local ceramics and coarse ware diagnostics had been buried in this region.
Of particular interest also were abundant copper-based metallurgical residues
and iron working indications. In addition, according to specialist Dominique
Collon, a beautiful royal cylinder seal was found in the fill from this
area. Made of glass (a very precious material) but much deteriorated,
only part of the inscription was visible.
Two large, multi-roomed mudbrick buildings separated by a street were exposed replete with hearths, drains and ceramics. Two more squares were placed close to the slope in an attempt to locate the edge of the fortification wall. A very impressive, multi-chambered pottery kiln was found suggesting the use of this area as a craft sector. Of the more interesting finds, two tablet fragments were found close to the topsoil during the first week of excavations. Jacob Lauinger identified one of them as a lexical text which contains a bird list; the other fragment is an economic tablet. Other epigraphic documents include an envelop fragment from the square closer to the slope, and a fragmentary Hittite hieroglyphic sealing.
But upslope on the step trench, the later phase Late Bronze Age fortification
walls have, as yet, not clearly materialized. Instead, unexpectedly, ten
burials and more fragments of eroded interments were found on the slope.
Thus, we now had a necropolis on this part of the site, which may have
important implications about the size of the Late Bronze Age city in its
final phases. Of the burials, one stood out as special: a tomb (03-3017)
with multiple interments and special grave goods (Fig.4). This burial
consisted of a plaster arched structure on a cobblestone foundation. Two
columns of baked clay tile headstones or possibly a superstructure were
stacked four high and a row of cobblestones were found in the topmost
portion. Within the arched plaster covering, which must have been over
a wooden coffin (impressions were seen of the wood), were four individuals
laid tete-beche, each separated from the other by a level of plaster.
Person #2 was buried with slag placed under its chin and many gold, carnelian,
ivory, amber, and glass beads. A number of gold appliques decorated with
raised rosettes were found around person #3, probably from a since-disintegrated
cloth or headdress placed over the head. There was a gold ring still on
#3`s finger, gold sheet earrings or hair rings by the skull. A number
of copper-based toggle pins were found, one of silver fastening burial
clothing. Some of the pottery came in pairs - two Base Ring Ware vessels,
two Red Burnished Spindle Flasks (also called Red Lustrous Ware Bottles),
and two trefoil-mouth jars. Furthermore a leg of cattle, numerous bird
bones, seeds, and sheep/goat remains were also found. The flasks would
have contained beer or wine and the jars would have held other liquids.
Thus these individuals had been buried with all the sustenance necessary
in an afterlife.
Acknowledgements: The 2003 Tell Atchana/Alalakh staff included the following people: Aslihan Yener, director, David Schloen, associate director, Amir Sumaka`i-Fink, senior field supervisor, Jacob Lauinger, Aaron Burke, Gabrielle Novacek, Eudora Bernsen, Glenn Corbett, Adam Miglio, Leann Pace-Mahoney, Samantha Stewart, Bike Yazicioglu (University of Chicago); Hatice Pamir, Tulin Arslanoglu, Can Ercan (Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya), Murat Akar (Middle East Technical University), Brenda Craddock, Franca Cole, Phil Andrews, Dominique Collon (U.K.), Amy Gansell, Stine Rossel (Harvard), Susan Helft (University of Pennsylvania), Fazil Acikgoz (Nigde Museum), Nita Lee Roberts (Institute of Fine Arts, New York University)