Aşvan Kale
Aşvan Kale · Aşvan Castle · Asvan Kale · Muratçık Aşvan
Chalcolithic to Medieval (c.5000 BCE–1400 CE; fortified from Early Bronze)·Chalcolithic → Early Bronze (Transcaucasian) → Hittite → Urartian → Roman-Byzantine·🇹🇷 Elazığ Province, Keban, Murat River south bank, Turkey
About
About Aşvan Kale
Flat-topped fortified mound on the Murat River 35 km NW of Elazığ, excavated 1968–72 by David French in the Keban rescue. Ten hectares with Early Bronze Transcaucasian burnished ware, Hittite levels and Byzantine fort shows 7,000-year river control. Now island/submerged under Keban Lake.
Why it mattersKeban rescue type-site for east Anatolian Chalcolithic-EB transition and Transcaucasian-related burnished ware.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Cause of EB II conflagration horizon?
Theories
- 01Transcaucasian migration vs diffusion (Burney/French)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Mound settled c.5000 BCE; fortified c.3000 BCE
- Period
- Chalcolithic to Medieval (c.5000 BCE–1400 CE; fortified from Early Bronze)
- Culture
- Chalcolithic → Early Bronze (Transcaucasian) → Hittite → Urartian → Roman-Byzantine
- Builders
- Chalcolithic communities
- Purpose
- River terrace fort controlling Murat-Euphrates confluence
- Rediscovered
- Modern archaeological survey/ rescue
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.5000 BCE
Chalcolithic village founded
c.3000 BCE
Transcaucasian burnished fort built
1968
French Keban rescue excavation
1974
Submergence under Keban Reservoir
On the ground
Structures & features
38.8500° N · 38.9200° E · 830 m · 3 mapped features
Aşvan Kale — Kiln field
storageKey sub-area of Aşvan Kale (Chalcolithic to Medieval) showing Chalcolithic horizon
38.8494° N · 38.9197° EAşvan Kale — Palatial compound
dwellingKey sub-area of Aşvan Kale (Chalcolithic to Medieval) showing Chalcolithic horizon
38.8502° N · 38.9203° EAşvan Kale — North sector
kilnKey sub-area of Aşvan Kale (Chalcolithic to Medieval) showing Chalcolithic horizon
38.8510° N · 38.9209° E