Kavuşan Höyük (Batman Province, Beşiri–Ilısu zone, Upper Tigris)
Kavuşan Höyük · Kavusan Hoyuk · Ilısu Kavuşan
Halaf-Ubaid to Late Bronze (5.5k–1200 BCE)·Ubaid → Khabur → Mitanni → Middle Assyrian·🇹🇷 Batman Province, Beşiri–Ilısu zone, Upper Tigris, Turkey
About
About Kavuşan Höyük (Batman Province, Beşiri–Ilısu zone, Upper Tigris)
Long-stratified Ilısu ring-road tell (Late Neolithic Halaf-Ubaid through Late Bronze, with Byzantine chapel above) — Excavated 2010–2018 Gürol Kozbezoğlu under Ilısu: Ubaid→LB 12 m sequence with Mittani brick kilns, MBA crescent and Late Bronze Assyrian(?) storerooms. Upper Tigris village resilience sample near Garzan confluence. EBA Khabur ware and Hurrian Nuzi-like seals 1500 BCE.
Why it mattersDocuments Tigris-Ubaid→Mitanni kiln technology continuity at Garzan; Khabur ware here defines southern Upper Tigris MBA.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Is Kavuşan Khabur intrusion or local Ubaid descent?
- 02Kavuşan LB kilns as Mitanni state vs household production
Theories
- 01Kozbezoğlu Garzan corridor model vs Barker Ilısu village scatter
- 02Khabur vs Karaz ware coexistence boundary
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.5500 BCE Late Neolithic; EBA 3000 BCE; MBA Khabur c.1900 BCE; LB Mitanni 1500 BCE kilns
- Period
- Halaf-Ubaid to Late Bronze (5.5k–1200 BCE)
- Culture
- Ubaid → Khabur → Mitanni → Middle Assyrian
- Builders
- Tigris farmers → Khabur-Hurrian villagers → Mitanni kiln masters
- Purpose
- River bend hamlet-town at Garzan confluence
- Abandoned
- c.1200 BCE LB abandonment; Byzantine chapel c.600 CE reoccupies
- Rediscovered
- Rescue 2010 ongoing Kozbezoğlu, Batman Museum
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
2010
Kozbezoğlu opens south scarp with Halaf-Ubaid below Khabur workshop
2016
Mitanni kiln field with sealings beneath Byzantine chapel
On the ground
Structures & features
37.8230° N · 41.5120° E · 530 m · 3 mapped features
Halaf-Ubaid quarter
settlementPainted Halaf houses lower scarp
37.8232° N · 41.5122° EMitanni kiln field
industrialFour kilns with sealing dump
37.8230° N · 41.5120° EByzantine chapel capping
templeChapel mosaic above Mitanni level
37.8229° N · 41.5119° E