The Gentral Black Sea Region and the Kelkit River basin settlements in the Bronze Age By $evket Dönmez i. Keywords: Northern Anatolia, Samsun, Black Sea Region, survey, settlement pattern, Bronze Age The geographical area under discussion in this zone. Settlements of the earlv 2nd paper covers the region from Samsun in the west mill. B.C. have been identified there at (Map1) to Bayburl in the east (Map2). I have Kelebeg Tepe, Azay Tepe, Tepe Tarla. chosen this area that we may call the East Black Tepe,' Elmacrk Tepe, Tepecik, Karageyh Sea Region hinterland in order to collect the ex- Omer Usta Tepesi, Evren Uga[r, Pagagel isting archaeological evidence and thus make an si, Katrrdamr-Tepecik, Aqa$r Tepe, Krzkayasr assessment. (Gelinkayasr), Kolay-Tepecik, Hacrbaba Tepesr The Kelkit River (ancient Lykos) is the most im- and Kirmancik-Tepecik. However, in some settle- podant river in this area. Because of its geogra- ments on the Bafra Plain, only Early Bronze Age phical advantages this river basin must have housings were revealed. These are Bakrrdere been used as a trade route between the Central Tepesi and Kocakaya. But at Yigitler Tepesi in Black Sea Region, Caucasia and Western lran. the eastern parl of the Bafra Plain was no Early Kelkit River rises from Gümüghane Province, Bronze Age settlement following the Chalcolithic passes through the south of Giresun Province as Period, the next settlement occuring during the well as the Regadiye, Niksar and Erbaa districts Middle Bronze Age. Bengü village in the vicinity of of Tokat Province until it finally joins the Yegilrr- Kolay Town, the majority of which now lies under mak River near Tagova Dlstrict in the Amasya the Altrnkaya Dam, was locatecj on the last ter- Province. The west side of the Kelkit Basin that races overlooking the Krzrllrmak (ancient Halys). begins in Koyulhisar has been thoroughly investi- The field surveys carried out there by J. A. Den- gated and few settlements have been located gate before the beginning of U. B. Alkrm's re- there (Maps 1; 2). Although the east side which search revealed a few Bronze axes and a pair of consists of the Sugehri, $ebinkarahisar, $iran Bronze castanets dating back to the Late Bronze and Kelkit districts has not undergone any ser- Age by him2. Apart from these, there are no fino- ious resarch yet, we still get information regarding ings or settlements known from the second half this area from the neighbouring Bayburt province. of 2nd mill. B.C. in Bafra Province. Between Bafra and Alacam, most of the settle- ments such as Sivritepe, Gökgebogaz Tepesi (Ali Samsun Province Osman Tepesi), Dede Tepe and girlek Tepe (Cir- lek Tepe/Kuggular Höyü!ü/Hogkadem Tepesi) re- Samsun Provincel, which has the highest popu- vealed several pieces of pots and pans dating Iation density, is in the Alacam-Bafra-19 Mayrs from the Early and Middle Bronze Age. Alkrm car- ried out researches on site and C. Burney's field 1 survey in I955 introduced Gökgebo$az Tepesi For researches in Samsun Province, comp. Alktm 1g72a, 422-426; Alkrm 1972b, 56; Alkrm 1973a, 435-438; Alkrm and $irlek Tepesi to the archeology world3. Bur- 1973b, 62-65; Alkrm 1973c, 5-16; Alkrm 1974a, 23-28i ney pointed out that several potsherds from the .1974c, Alkrm 1974b, 553-556; Alkrm 50-53; Alkrm 1975, Early and Middle Bronze Age were found at Gök- 5-12; Alkrm 1976a,717-719; Alkrm 1976b, 42-44i Atkm nohnöaz Tonoci 1978a, 542-547; Alkrm 1978b, 23-27', Alkm 1982, 3-9; Alkrm etal. 1988; Alkrm etal. 2003; Bilgi 1990a, 211-220i The settlements revealed in the city center, Bilgi 1990b, 25-28; Bilgi 2000, 109-127; Bilgi 2001a, Bilgi namely Dündadepe (Fig.1), Ba! Tepesi, De- 2001b, 1-35; Bilgi etal. 2002, 279-296; Bilgi etal. 2003, deüstü 41-50; Bilgi elal. 2004, 87-96; Burney 1956, 179*203; Din- Tepesi, Göktepe, Akalan, Diklim Tepe gol/Yakar 1974,563-582; Dönmez 1999, 513-536; Dönmez and Kaleyeri Tepesi, were shown to have been 2000a,229-244; Dönmez 2000b, 330 334; Dönmez 2001, occupied during the Early and Mlddle Bronze 302-307; Dönmez 2002a, 873-903; Dönmez 2002b, 243- Age. Only Büyük Oyumca Tepesi revealed 293; Gökoglu 1952; Inan 1947, 119-132: Krztltan 1992, no 213*241i Kökten 1941, 121-124i Kökten 1944, 659-689; settlement following the Early Bronze Age. Kökten/Özgüg 1940a, 413-419; KökteniÖzgüg 1940b, 25- 28; Kökten/Ozgüq 1940c, 13-16; Kökten etal. 1945, 361- 400; Özgü9.'1941, 637: Özgü9 1948, 393-419; Özsait 1988, 239-256; Ozsait 1990b, 124-130: Ozsait 1999b, 89-107; 2 Ozsait 2O0Ob, 335-341; Özsait 2001. 307-312; Özsait 2003, Dengate 1971, 199; Dengate 1978,25g. 127-1401 Ozsait 2004, 273-284; Yakar/Dincol 1974, 85-99 " Burney 1956, 182. 102 $evket Dönmez ,,'-..--.'.-.r-S' / ,S' { E{ I #l l,-o] r'Ll. f rf't \r ;" '1-'ro" *t,l __Tokat.,, -=-]$;1{, | 'l'i .-._.___ ' t\lt r.{*;'),f_;=,t'-/ J {- ,r .'---- Map 1 r-----.*-'d-T- t_ *"tir. ,r./ Samsun. Western pafl -:,r__._,,.\ of survey area. MaP 2 Bayburt. Eastern part ur rutvuy drvd. In and near the Yegilrrmak (ancient lris) Valley both in the Early and Middle Bronze Age, in the east of Samsun Province no dense setile- whereas Tepecik, Kilise Tepesi and Tünbü Tepe ment has been witnessed up to the present day. are understood to have been settled durino the However, in Tekkeköy (Fig. 2) and in the south of Early Bronze Age. the Qarqamba District, Tepecik and Kilise Tepesi, Vezirköprü District, in the south-west of Sam- Ayvacrk-Tünbü Tepesi and Asarcrk-Koyuncuo$lu sun Province, was discovered to have been den- Höyü$ü settlements were discovered. Except for sely settled not only in the 3rd but also in the 2nd Tekkeköy all othör settlements were located on mill. B.C. The earliest Bronze Age seülements hills. Tekkeköy is known to have been occupied found in this area are Keltepe, Dolan Tepe, and the Kelkit River basin settlements in the Bronze Aqe Fig. 1 Samsun-Dündartepe from South. Fig.2 Tekkeköy from South Kurudere, Ya$rnözü-Qakmak, Qörlen Tepe, Kügük- proven to have been Middle Bronze Age settle- kale, Oymaagaq Höyük (Höyük Tepe), Yeltepesi ments. Oymaagaq Höyügü takes an impodant and Sivri Tepe. Among these, only Oymaaöaq place among Vezirköprü settlements. Dengate Höyük, Keltepe, Küqükkale and Sivri Tepe were dated a spear-head and blade which he found 104 $evket Dönmez Fig.3 Köyiqi Tepesil/urtyeri Tepesi from North-West. there to the second half of the 3'd mill. B.C. On Only a few of the mounds located in Ladik Drs- top of Oymaagag Höyügü, located 7 km nortn- trict were deserted after the Early Bronze Age east of Vezirköprü city centre and about 500 m ro and not resettled. These are Agcrtepe, Aqa(r Be- the west of Oymaa$aq Village, some remains re- lenaca Tepesi, inkaya, Kurban Tepe, öolma sembling city walls and an underground construc- Tepe, Kireglik, Qakrr Höyük, Agrkh Egme Höyür<, tion resembling a postern have been uncovereo Inboynu Höyük, Dökme Tepe, Kahpe Tepe, Des- during illegal excavations. The above mentioned timen Tepe, lbi, Alabag Tepe, Dogankag and construction was built by use of the shouldereo Kemalyeri. Other mounds in this area were conti- vault techniquea. These finds as well as the pot- nually inhabited from the Early to the Middle sherds indicate that Oymaagag Höyügü was a Bronze Age. These are Dedealtr Tepesi, Tombul big and imporlant settlement surrounded by city- Tepe, Kale Tepe, Kümbet Tepe, Kilise Tepe, walls in the 2nd mill. 8.C., that is the Middle ano Devgerkaya Tepesi, Sarrgazel, Köyiqi Tepesil/ur- Late Bronze Age. tyeri Tepesi (Fig. 3), Salur-Yüktepe, Budakdere- The seven mounds in the Havza District were Köyyeri Höyük and Mrhlr Tepe. Besides, it is as- inhabited from the Early Bronze Age onwards sumed that Salur Höyük (Mound), which was sur- and in the Middle Bronze Age. These setilements rounded by city walls in the 2nd mill. 8.C., was in- are Tepecik, Qegtepe, Patlangrg Tepe, Dökme habited during the Late Bronze Age, that is the Tepe l, Hakim Tepe l, Tagkaracaören Tepe and Hittite lmoerial Periods. Cin Tepe l. Other mounds are found to have ln the Kavak District however, three settle- been deserted after the Early Bronze Age. They ments, namely Güney Tepesi, Tepesidelik Tepe were either given up or resettled during the Middle and Kaletepe, were abandoned at the end of the Bronze Age. Such settlements on plains are Early Bronze Age and not resettled. The remain- found at Manevra Tepe, Cin Tepe ll, Hakim Tepe ing settlements at Kaledoru$u, Dingilkalecik Tepe, ll (BekdiQin Tepe), Cevizbagr Tepesi, Cam Tepe, Danabasan Tepe, Hacrbaba Tepe and Aytepe Bacas Tepe, Kayah Tepe, Garco Tepe, ören are considered to have been inhabited during Tepe, $eyh SafiTepesi, Kömürlük Höyügü, Muhtis both the Early and Mlddle Bronze Age. These Tepe and Boyalr. settlements which lie either on or near the Sam- 4 5 Ark,m 1973a.437 Yakar/Dinqol 1974, 92 The Central Black Sea Region and the Kelkit River basin settlements in the Bronze Age 105 ."-; T. {rl.'l lliirrrl:'" w:.iE Fig.4 Paralr Tepe ll from West. sun-Kavak highway, most probably held control form the Yegilrrmak proper; this covers the cen- over this impodant route. tral district of Amasya Province as well as Gü- müghacrköy, Hamamözü, Merzifon and Göy- nücek. The most imoortant settlements in these Amasya Province distrlcts are considered to have existed only dur- ing the Early Bronze Age. They are Hacrprnarr The number of 3'd and 2nd mill.