Sumaki Höyük
Sumaki Höyük · Sumaki Hoyuk · Sumaki Höyüğü
Early Bronze I–II (c.3100–2600 BCE) with later BA·Ninevite 5 → Akkadian → Khabur ware·🇹🇷 Batman Province, Beşiri plain, Turkey
About
About Sumaki Höyük
Ninevite 5 period settlement (250 × 200 m, 10 m high) on the Beşiri plain, Ilısu salvage zone, excavated by Barbara Helwing. EBA I–II (c.3100–2600 BCE) levels with exquisite Ninevite 5 incised and painted wares, beehive-shaped granaries and early copper awls document the Upper Tigris Early Bronze I expansion. Later Akkadian and Middle Bronze Khabur levels sit above. Key for north Mesopotamian EBA chronology bridging Upper Khabur to Upper Tigris.
Why it mattersKey Batman Province, Beşiri plain sequence for Early Bronze I–II (c.3100–2600 BCE) with later BA; agricultural village and storage centre on upper tigris piedmont.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Sumaki 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
- c.3100 BCE
- Period
- Early Bronze I–II (c.3100–2600 BCE) with later BA
- Culture
- Ninevite 5 → Akkadian → Khabur ware
- Builders
- Ninevite 5 communities
- Purpose
- Agricultural village and storage centre on Upper Tigris piedmont
- 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
37.8200° N · 41.2800° E · 610 m · 2 mapped features
Ninevite 5 houses
structureAgglutinated EBA houses with painted floors
37.8202° N · 41.2803° EBeehive granaries
structurePlastered dome granaries for communal storage
37.8198° N · 41.2797° E