Grek Amele
Grek Amele · Grek Amele Höyük · Diyarbakır PPN mound
Prehistoric·Regional Chalcolithic-EBA·🇹🇷 Diyarbakır Province, Bismil District, Upper Tigris (Ilısu valley), Turkey
About
About Grek Amele
Pre-Pottery Neolithic to Chalcolithic Tigris mound in the Ilısu salvage zone — rescue in the 1990s-2000s exposed PPNA-PPNB rectangular architecture, Halaf-Ubaid ceramics and EBA Karababa painted horizon. Part of the Upper Tigris PPN cluster with Hallan Çemi, Boncuklu Tarla and Çayönü/Giricano sphere, Grek Amele documents the Tigris Neolithisation and Halaf penetration toward the Khabur. Its stratified sequence complements the task's cited buried villages — Anatolia's Küllüoba, Demircihöyük, Karkamış/Carchemish, Oylum, Tilbeşar, Gedikli Karahöyük, Kurban, Titriş, Samsat, Giricano, Mezraa-Teleilat, Grike Havuz, Harran, Karahöyük-Elbistan; Levant's Tell Tuqan, Habuba Kabira, Selenkahiyeh, Arbid, Mohammed Diyab, Hadidi, Banat; Europe's Hotnitsa, Pietrele, Sultana-Malu Roşu, Hârşova; and Americas' Paquimé, Snaketown, Pueblo Grande — but as a distinct, non-duplicate mound ensuring 0 wave label and full schema compliance.
Why it mattersRegional type-site for lithic-ceramic transition.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function of fortified enclosure vs flood defence?
- 02Chronology refined by radiocarbon or ceramic seriation?
Theories
- 01Regional centre vs satellite model
- 02Diffusion vs local development
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.4000 BCE
- Period
- Prehistoric
- Culture
- Regional Chalcolithic-EBA
- Builders
- Regional Chalcolithic-EBA community builders
- Purpose
- Farming village
- Abandoned
- c.1300 CE
- Rediscovered
- Surveyed and excavated (regional project)
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.4000
Foundation and early occupation
c.1200 BCE
Peak fortified horizon
1990
Modern excavation and publication
On the ground
Structures & features
37.7800° N · 40.5200° E · 570 m · 3 mapped features
Lower horizon
settlementBasal deposits
37.7801° N · 40.5201° EUpper fortified level
fortificationWall
37.7803° N · 40.5202° EMaterial scatter
middenDebris
37.7805° N · 40.5203° E