Horum Höyük
Horum Höyük · Horum Hoyuk · Horum Höyük (Gaziantep)
Late Chalcolithic to Islamic (peak MBA–Hittite)·Halaf-Ubaid → Kura-Araxes → Yamhad → Hittite → Neo-Hittite·🇹🇷 Gaziantep Province, Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey
About
About Horum Höyük
Major Euphrates terrace tell (220 × 180 m, 18 m high) on the Sajur tributary near Nizip, rescue-excavated 1990s ahead of the Birecik Dam. Stratified sequence Chalcolithic to Islamic, but the Middle Bronze II Yamhad-period fortified town is highlight: cyclopean glacis, casemate gate and potters quarter producing Euphrates Painted Ware. Hittite Empire levels yielded hieroglyphic sealing fragments bridging Carchemish–Aleppo.
Why it mattersKey Gaziantep Province, Southeastern Anatolia sequence for Late Chalcolithic to Islamic (peak MBA–Hittite); fortified river town controlling sajur–euphrates confluence.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Horum Höyük relative to neighbouring centres?
Theories
- 01Regional centre hypothesis for Gaziantep Province
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Late Chalcolithic c.3800 BCE
- Period
- Late Chalcolithic to Islamic (peak MBA–Hittite)
- Culture
- Halaf-Ubaid → Kura-Araxes → Yamhad → Hittite → Neo-Hittite
- Builders
- Halaf-Ubaid communities
- Purpose
- Fortified river town controlling Sajur–Euphrates confluence
- Rediscovered
- 20th century survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1960
Foundation/earliest horizon
1980
Major excavations
2020
Conservation/monitoring
On the ground
Structures & features
36.9800° N · 37.7800° E · 520 m · 2 mapped features
Middle Bronze glacis and gate
fortificationYamhad fortification with plastered glacis and chambered gate
36.9802° N · 37.7803° EPotters quarter
workshopMBA kilns producing Euphrates Painted Ware
36.9798° N · 37.7797° E