Keban Project: Reassessment of the Rescue Excavations at Ağın Kalaycık Höyük

Abstract

Within the scope of Keban Project, rescue excavations were carried out by Prof. Ümit Serdaroğlu at Hoşrik Area, Kalecikler Höyük, Kilise Yazısı and Kalaycık Höyük in Ağın region between 1968 and 1972. In this paper, the preliminary results on Kalaycık ceramic groups are presented. Located in Elazığ region to the west of Keban Dam, Ağın is an important area opening to the Erzincan Plain through Kemaliye (Eğin) to the north, and to the Malatya Plain through Arapkir to the west. Before the construction of the Keban Dam, the Karasu and Murat rivers merged in Ağın and formed the Euphrates. The fertile region of Altınova, situated to the east of Keban Dam has become an area of intense investigations due to its large mounds bearing a central character. However, the archaeological works carried out around Ağın to the west, is limited. Kalaycık, situated on the east coast of Karasu, was a medium-sized mound inhabited uninterruptedly from Chalcolithic to Islamic Period. During the excavations no signifi cant architecture was encountered belonging to the Bronze and Iron Ages but a rich ceramic collection contains important information about the settlement during these periods. In this study, Kalaycık Höyük's collection of ceramic assemblages from Early Bronze Age to Middle Iron Age is investigated. When compared with the other Keban Project rescue excavations, it can be said that Kalaycık Höyük shared a similar historical process with Elazığ-Malatya region.