Köşk Höyük — Bor South Skull-Cult Annex
Köşk Höyük · Köşk Höyük (Bor) · Kosk Hoyuk
Late Neolithic to Early Chalcolithic (6000–5000 BCE; Levels I–III)·Cappadocian Neolithic–Chalcolithic with Halaf links·🇹🇷 Niğde Province, Bor District, Bahçeli plain, Turkey
About
About Köşk Höyük — Bor South Skull-Cult Annex
Köşk Höyük is a 3 ha Late Neolithic to Early Chalcolithic (6000–5000 BCE) mound in Cappadocian Bor plain excavated by Aliye Öztan since 1981. Famous for grim skull-cult plastered skull heads with obsidian eyes, terracotta anthropomorphic reliefs with goddesses, obsidian workshops and red-coated plastered houses with >130 burials under floors and two burnt villages sealing in situ inventories.
Why it mattersOnly Cappadocian village preserving Levantine-type plastered skulls north of Taurus, linking Çatalhöyük and Levant PPNB ancestry cult.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Relationship of plastered skulls to Levantine PPNB?
Theories
- 01Öztan: local Cappadocian cult continuity with Mesopotamian affinities
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.6000 BCE
- Period
- Late Neolithic to Early Chalcolithic (6000–5000 BCE; Levels I–III)
- Culture
- Cappadocian Neolithic–Chalcolithic with Halaf links
- Builders
- Cappadocian Neolithic villagers
- Purpose
- Obsian exchange hamlet and cult centre with plastered skull ancestors
- Abandoned
- c.5000 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1981 Niğde Museum–Ankara University (Öztan)
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.5200 BCE
Layer I burnt village sealing plastered relief houses
1981–
Öztan ongoing: 24th season 2005
On the ground
Structures & features
38.0200° N · 34.6700° E · 1130 m · 3 mapped features
Köşk Skull-Building AN/1985
shrineBuilding with plastered skull heads and obsidian-eyed masks
38.0206° N · 34.6705° EKöşk Painted Relief House
habitationRed-plastered goddess-and-bull relief wall (6×8 m)
38.0193° N · 34.6708° EKöşk Obsidian Atelier
workshopVolcanic glass blade workshop near Göllüdağ
38.0210° N · 34.6694° E