Kavuşan Höyük
Kavuşan Höyük · Kavusan Hoyuk · Kavuşan Höyüğü
Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze (c.6000–1500 BCE)·Hassuna-Halaf → Ninevite 5 → Akkadian → Khabur ware·🇹🇷 Batman Province, Ilısu valley, Turkey
About
About Kavuşan Höyük
Large Tigris terrace tell (320 × 280 m, 15 m high) in the Ilısu reservoir zone, excavated 2002–2011 by G. Kozbe and Haluk Sağlamtimur. Sequence from Late Neolithic Hassuna to Middle Bronze (c.6000–1500 BCE) with EBA Ninevite 5 painted levels, Akkadian and Middle Bronze Khabur ware levels. The EBA ‘Kavuşan palace’ (EB IV) with pisé walls and sealings is among the earliest public buildings on the Upper Tigris. Now monitored as reservoir island.
Why it mattersKey Batman Province, Ilısu valley sequence for Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze (c.6000–1500 BCE); tigris terrace centre controlling river crossing and copper age trade.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Kavuşan Höyük relative to neighbouring centres?
Theories
- 01Regional centre hypothesis for Batman 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 Neolithic c.6000 BCE
- Period
- Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze (c.6000–1500 BCE)
- Culture
- Hassuna-Halaf → Ninevite 5 → Akkadian → Khabur ware
- Builders
- Hassuna-Halaf communities
- Purpose
- Tigris terrace centre controlling river crossing and Copper Age trade
- Abandoned
- c. 1200 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 20th century survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1960
Foundation/earliest horizon
1980
Major excavations
2020
Conservation/monitoring
On the ground
Structures & features
37.7300° N · 41.5000° E · 620 m · 2 mapped features
EB IV pisé palace
structureEarly public building with seal impressions and storerooms
37.7302° N · 41.5003° ENinevite 5 levels
depositPainted Ninevite 5 pottery horizon with kilns
37.7298° N · 41.4997° E