Mycenaean Chamber Tomb in Pilavtepe, Milas
Mathias Benter, Vedat İnce
Keywords: Caria, Pilavtepe, Iasos, Milas, Gulf of Güllük, alternating coast extension, Myceneaen chamber tomb, Late Helladic IIIA2 - IIIC early, new pottery shapes, medical tools, seal stones, amber, excotics, gold jewelry, prestige goods, Myceneaen presence in Western Anatolia
Abstract
In autumn 2001 a Mycenaean chamber tomb was discovered on the south slope of the so-called Pilavtepe, situated between Milas and Iasos. The 75-m-high natural elevation of the Pilavtepe presumably lay on the east shore of a deep, today silted up bay with narrow, controlling access to the gulf of Güllük. The settlement, which has not been investigated until today, probably began already in the late Neolithic period and ended in late Antiquity. Thirty vessels or vessel-fragments could be rescued in the grave, dating from LH IIIA2 until IIIC early. The findings point to multiple burials of a prosperous, high ranking family. The chamber tomb at Pilavtepe, which is equally far situated from the Mycenaean necropolis at Müskebi and Değirmentepe (Milet) has a significant meaning for the research on the Mycenaean presence in Western Anatolia. This is due to its long allocation duration, the extensive equipment and the valuable, prestigious, even if partly only fragmentary grave goods (weight, sealstones, amber, fragments of gold jewelery).