Mysteria

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

  1. 01Function of fortified enclosure vs flood defence?
  2. 02Chronology refined by radiocarbon or ceramic seriation?

Theories

  1. 01Regional centre vs satellite model
  2. 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
  1. c.4000

    Foundation and early occupation

  2. c.1200 BCE

    Peak fortified horizon

  3. 1990

    Modern excavation and publication

On the ground

Structures & features

37.7800° N · 40.5200° E · 570 m · 3 mapped features

Search Mysteria

Search places, or jump to a section