157 D. URFA PROVINCE - THE KARABABA AND BEDiR DAM RESERVOIR AREAS l.THEStVEREK DISTRICT Accommodation, Eating and Transport Facilities I Although the Siverek district center is equipped with all the necessary facilities, it is not suitable for the accommadation of expeditions working in the region, both because It .sfar away from the area to be flooded by the dam. and because the flooding is to cover a very small area within the boundaries of the district. The main road from Adiyaman and Kahta, which crosses the Euphrates near Tille (Geldi- i 1 buldu) continues in asphalted from as far as the Siverek district. The road leading southwards from it to the provincial centre of Urfa is also asphalted. Apart from these main roads, astabiliz ed road turns of northwards near the village of Tillakin and leads as far as Hadro - Bucak; How- ever, the roads leading off this one and running steeply down to the bank of the Euphrates are fairly poor. Natural Environment The plateau, gently undulating on the Adiyaman side, has a more rugged appearance in the Si verek district; towards the North, high hills and deep valleys increase in number, while the ground takes on a stony, rocky appearance. Although limestone occurs in places on the bank of the Euphrates, particularly in the southern part, layers of volcanic rocks appear in tojhjyj Anazo and Karbek. The bed of the Euphrates deepens and narrows towards the north, and the ridges surrounding the flood-plain become steeper; but there are still small pockets of fertile plains in places, The area to be flooded by the dam forms long, narrow inlets along the Zengecor Qayi and Sehir Deresi, both of which flow through deep, canyon-like valleys. Archaeological evidence There are much larger and more numerous mounds in the Siverek district than in the Kahta district. A number of these are situated on the ridges surrounding the bed of the Euphrates, and thereby remain outside the area to be flooded by the dam. The most important of them is Niacin Hoyiigii-S 52/17. Also immediately outside the area to be flooded is the site of a large centre belonging to the Classical period, at Halokent. Only four sites were recorded within the area of the Siverek district to be flooded by the dam, the most important among them being Toprakkale Hoyugu-S 52/19. The latter ate comprises a medium-sized mound yielding Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age finds, and a large and impor- tant settlement belonging to the Middle Ages. Another important site is the Hassek Hoyugu S 52/18, a sizeable settlement of the Late Chalcolithic period and beginning of the Early Bronze Age. Among the sherds collected are large quantities of Uruk-type pottery. The other two sites inside the area to be flooded are small and unimportant. 158 KAZO AND SURROUNDING AREA (Plate 35) RELATED SITES AND SITE NUMBERS: TOPRAKKALE HOYVGU S 52/19 K'AZOKOYtCl S 52/20 ADMIN JSTRATIVE DISTICT: Urfa province, Siverek district, village of Kazo. LOCATION: north-west of Siverek. 8 km north-east of the Tille bridge, 5 km south-west of the Zengecor bridge, on the edge of the flood-plain bordering the Euphrates. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: steep slopes descend in places as far as the bank of the Euphrates, but in front of the village of Kazo a small flood-plain slopes gently down towards the river. The surrounding bad is mostly stony, with plenty of trees and water. The effects of natural erosion are very mar.ked. especially on the steep slopes. PRESENT-DAY SETTLEMENTS: Kazo is a compact, poor village of thirty houses. i |: Roads: the road which turns northwards off the Tille (Geldibuldu)—Siverek road to Hadro is practicable under all types of weather conditions. It crosses the Zengecor Cayi over a bridge; this is the only point where it is possible to drive across the stream, owing to the canyon-like nature of the valley through which the latter flows. The first road turning off westwards after the bridge leads to Kazo by way of the village of Karbek; it is only suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles. It is hot possible to drive to Kazo from the South by way of Nisibin or Anazo. Drinking Water: plentiful. Accommodation facilities: there is no school and no large buildings in Kazo; but there is a school in the mahalle of Karbek. TOPRAKKALEHOYVGO- S 52/19; medium-sized mound and fort. (Plates 58 and 92) LOCATION: 2.5 km north of Kazo, on and around a natural rise on the bank of the Euphrates. From the village, the site can-only be reached on foot. ELEVATION: 470-520 m. DESCRIPTION: a natural hill, conical in shape and about 40 m high, stands near the bank of the Euphrates, halfway between the villages of Kazo and Kosan. The side of the hill fac ing the Euphrates is steeper than the others; on the east and south-west sides there are two t small terraces. On the upper part of the hill rises the mound, the thickness of the archaeologi cal deposit must be approximately 7—10 m thick; the mound has a flat top about 20 m wide. On the top, there are stone foundations and fragments of mosaics uncovered by illicit digging. The mosaic is of fairly fine quality, made with stone tesserae of two colours; it is said to have had a pictorial design on it when first unearthed. On the slopes of the hill appear remains of a stone enclosure wall, clearly belonging to city-walls and towers; traces of rubble stone walls are also visible at the foot of the hill. Sherds, traces of walls, and tesserae are also spread over a wide area 150 m south of the hill. There was very probably a fort on the hill, and a lower settlement on the flat ground. Large quantities of ancient sherds occur on the north slope of NJ the hill in particular. On the ridges between Toprakkale and Kazo there are numerous graves, destroyed by illicit digging. " 159 DISTURBANCE: on the upper part of the hill, at the lower settlement and the cemetery areas, intensive illicit digging is being carried out, and the upper layers of the mound are much destroy ed. SURFACE FINDS: quantity collected - one large bag. Late Chalcolithic period: ware types : 1.1, 1.2, and 1.8 many, mostly coarse; 1.5 and 1.13 few; 1.14 doubtful; 1.15 (?) a few sherds with red paint on the inside. Post-Classical periods: ware types: 6.1, 6.5 few. The villagers have large numbers of coins in their possesions belonging to the Byzantine and Beylik periods, and they are said to have come from Toprakkale. OBSERVATIONS/COMMENTS: the main deposit on the mound at Toprakkale belongs to the transitional period between the Late Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age; it underlies the tes, settlement and fortifications belonging to the beginning of the Middle Ages. A few sherds ver. suggest that there may also be levels belonging to the earlier phases of the Chalcolithic, and ural the Uruk phase. The large settlement and the fort must have been built at the beginning of the Middle Ages; pottery, as well as the coins in the possession of the villagers, suggest that the site was in use during the Byzantine and Beylik periods, and were later abandoned. Toprakkale is an important site in so far as it displays a newset of fortifications,unknown until now, along the o is Euphrates between Horis Kale and Gerger Kalesi. ige; like DATE AND TYPE OF SURVEY: April 1977, 1st. Univ., Prehist. Section, first recording, surface irds collection and field sketching. leel is a KAZO KOYlCt- S 52/20; small mound. LOCATION: underneath the village of Kazo and in the fields immediately west of it. ELEVATION: + 500 m DESCRIPTION: Kazo village covers a large portion of a low mound; only a few fields in the direction of the Euphrates, which are not covered by village houses,remain as evidence of the mound. The early levels can be traced in the sections exposed within the village. It was not possible to determine the height or dimensions of the mound, because of its advanced state of destruction. DISTURBANCE:the present-day settlement is causing heavy damage to the site. SURFACE FINDS: quantity collected - one small bag. Iron Age: ware types : 4.2 and 4.4 few; 4.3 and 4.7 many. Post-Classical periods: ware types : 6.1 and 6.4 many. OBSERVATIONS/COMMENTS: no investigation of this virtually obliterated mound is possible DATE AND TYPE OF SURVEY: April 1977, 1st. Univ., Prehist. Section, first recording and surface collection. 160 YUKARI TlLLAKlN AND SURROUNDING AREA (Plate 35) RELATED SITES AND SITE NUMBERS: HASSEKHOYUGV S 52/18 YUKARI TlLLAKlN KOY tCt S 52/23 ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT: Urfa province, Siverek district, muhtariik of Biliriz, mahalle of Yukari Tillakin. LOCATION: 3.5 km west of the Tille bridge,near the bank of the Euphrates. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: in this region the flood-plain bordering the Euphrates widens considerably, but in places low hills descend as far as the river-bank. The area is rich in sources of water. PRESENT-DAY SETTLEMENTS: Yukari Tillakin (new name Yukan Kirca) isa small settlement of ten houses. The nearby village of Nisibis is a more important settlement. Roads: Yukan Tillakin can be reached along the earthen-road that turns north and then east, off the main Adiyaman-Siverek readjust after the Tille (Geldibuldu) bridge. Drinking-water: available in the villages and mahalle in the surrounding area.