ISSN: 0041-4255
e-ISSN: 2791-6472

ANTHROPOMORPHIC REPRESENTATIONS FROM THE MOUND OF KÜLTEPE

ÖNDER BİLGİ

The 16 anthropomorphic figures[1], so-called idols, were found at the mound of Kültepe (Kaniş) in the seasons of 1959 (Pls. I, II and III, 16) and 1970 (Pl. III, 15) and before the systematic excavations started (PI. III, 14). Except those 3 (Pl. III) which are unstratified finds, all are funerary gifts of one of the two angular cist graves unearthed in squares of P/37 and P/37-38[2].

All of the figures but one which is of white marble are made of white alabaster and ground. The sizes vary from 3 cm. to 16.5 cm. Some of the figures from the grave show weathering (PL I Fig. 2) or damage for the body (Pl. I, Pl. II, 7 and Pl. II, 11) and some others have the head and neck missing (Pl. I Figs. 4-5, Pl. II, 8, 12-13), thus suggesting that they had been in use before being placed into the grave.

These figures are in unidentifiable postures with one exception. The latter, one of the unstratified finds (Pl. III, 14), is depicted in the standing posture, though it is flat like the others. Like the legs, the arms are two stumps and are indicated by two notches. It wears a sort of clothing consisting of an incised square skirt suspended by two incised bands which cross at the back. Of the facial features only the eyes are represented. In this respect the other two unstratified finds (Pl. III, 15-16) are similar to this example. However, one of these figures (Fig. 16) has also the eyebrows indicated by two incised straight lines. In fact, it is recognisable as an anthropomorphic representation only by the existence of the eyes and eyebrows, for otherwise it is a simple pebble of oval shape. The other figure shows a more anthropomorphic form. It has a triangular head and a vertically elongated body rectangular in shape.

As for the anthropomorphic figures from the grave, these have long or short tapering stalks representing partly the head and neck. On the basis of the representations of the body, they fall into two groups; those with the waist indicated (Pl. I) and those without (Pl. II). The latter group shows a range of body shapes including oval (Pl. II, 6-8), round (Pl. II, 9-10), square (Pl. II, 11-12) and horizontally elongated rectangular forms (Pl. II, 13).

Dating and parallels :

As mentioned before, the funerary figures come from the grave in a layer beneath the building in the megaron plan, which dates from “Phase b” of the Early Bronze Age III. As T. Özgüç pointed out, this “Phase b” of the Early Bronze Age at the mound is mainly characterized by the painted pottery called “Intermediate Ware”. T. Özgüç writes that this pottery first appears at Kültepe in “Phase c”, which indicates the beginning of the Early Bronze Age III. According to the excavator the layer that contains the graves has no intermediate ware, thus suggesting being earlier than “Phase c”; consequently, the figures in questioncu, belong to the Early Bronze Age II.

On the basis of having a stalk for the head and neck, these figures have parallels at sites in South-west, North-west and Central Anatolia. The earliest known examples of anthropomorphic figures with a stalk head in Anatolia were found in the Late Chalcolithic building level I at Can Hasan[3]. Another figure of the same period is also known from the unexcavated site of Aktaş höyük[4] just south of Burdur. Beyce Sultan in the Early Bronze Age I has a group of figures with stalk heads in building level XVII[5]. Other examples of these types of figures in the Early Bronze Age I are known from Alaca höyük[6] and a number of unexcavated sites such as Hacılar höyük[7], Ağın höyük[8], Yortan cemetery[9]. In the Early Bronze Age II these figures apparently show a distribution only in North-west and Central Anatolia. Thus, they are found at Thermi[10], Troy[11], Karayavşan[12], Asarcık höyük[13] and at Alişar höyük[14].

The Kültepe examples have common features only with those found at sites dating from the Early Bronze Age II rather than Early Bronze Age I, since they do not have the arm-stumps represented. However, some of the Kültepe examples (Pl. I) have the waist indicated. In this respect they are unparalleled. Those figures of Kültepe without a waist indication have parallels at Asarcık höyük[15] and Thermi[16] on the basis of having a horizontally elongated rectangular body and at Thermi[17], Karayavşan[18] and Alişar höyük[19] on the grounds of having a round body. These parallels, however, are made of marble[20] or clay[21]. On the clay examples of Karayavşan and Alişar the eyes are indicated in addition to the bodies being decorated with incision. At Kültepe there are clay examples of these type of figures[22], and these are also decorated but not provided with the facial features. A marble example is also known from Kültepe[23]. This was found by chance before the systematic excavations started and has an exact parallel at Alişar höyük[24].

As for the unstratified find in the standing posture, there are a few parallels, but only in Central Anatolia. This figure, however, differs from these parallels not only by having a disproportionately elongated neck but also by being made of alabaster. Alişar[25], Eti Yokuşu[26] and Koçumbeli[27] figures are made of clay, and on the representations of the latter two sites there are decorations representing a rectangular skirt, but apparently not suspended by bands like the skirt on the Kültepe example. On the basis of clothing this chance find is datable to the Early Bronze Age II.

The second unstratified figure apparently has no exact parallels. However, on the basis of having a vertically elongated rectangular body, it is reminiscent of figures found in the West in the Early Bronze Age II[28] and III[29]. Yet, its triangular head is alien to the examples of the West, but is common to Kültepe in the Early Bronze Age III. However, the latter figures have disproportionately elongated necks attached to round bodies without an exception[30]. From the treatment of the eyes, small carved-out round holes, this figure is datable to the Early Bronze Age II, since this type of eye representation is very common on figures of sites in Central Anatolia[31].

The unstratified oval figure is undoubtedly an uncommon representation of an anthropomorphic form in Central Anatolia. This figure is again of the West and known from Troy and now from Aphrodisias in levels of the Early Bronze Age III. The example of Aphrodisias is rectangular in shape[32]. The Troy ones are beanshaped[33] and rectangular[34] as well as oval[35]. On the examples of both sites the eyes and eyebrows are indicated by incised dots and lines, and at Troy sometimes the eyebrows are curved and connected to form the nose. The Kültepe figure has straight lines for the eyebrows and it appears to be from the Early Bronze Age III on the basis of its shape.

Conclusions :

Now it is clear that Central Anatolia, in particular the Kayseri plain, does not seem too different from the South-west and North-west of Anatolia in the representation of anthropomorphic forms. Figures with a stalk head which first appear in the Late Chalcolithic period at Can Hasan and are then seen in the Early Bronze Age I at Beyce Sultan are common in the Early Bronze Age II in Central Anatolia as well as in the North-west and South-west Anatolia. However, it is not yet known whether this type of representation of anthropomorphic figures reaches Central Anatolia during the Early Bronze Age II or is the result of a continuation of the anthropomorphic figures of the Late Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age I. It is not yet possible to give a comment on this, since sites such as Karayavşan and Asarcık höyük do not have layers dating earlier than Early Bronze Age II, and since the levels dating from the Early Bronze Age I at Alişar, so-called Chalcolithic levels, did not yield any figures. On the other hand, one might be led to believe that the idea of producing anthropomorphic figures with stalk heads are introduced to Central Anatolia from the North-west during the Early Bronze Age II. This seems, however, unlikely since sites which have such figures do not have periods earlier than the Early Bronze Age II, and since the number of figures in question is very low at these sites, i.e. Thermi and Troy.

The two unstratified finds of Kültepe (Pl. III Figs. 15-16) show a cultural link between Central Anatolia and the North-west. This link is more stressed by the existence of a fragmentary head found during the excavations of Schliemann at Troy[36]. This head is in a triangular shape with concentric circles for the eyes and has incised lines for necklaces on the neck. This type of a head is peculiar to Kültepe in the Early Bronze Age III, and it is the only example found outside the Kayseri plain, though it is made of clay in contrast to alabaster examples of Kültepe.

In the Early Bronze Age III at Kültepe there are no figures with a stalk head, and the existing figures are those with a circular body, elongated neck and triangular head in addition to seated female figures in the round[37]. The flat figures are uniquely decorated and are provided with facial features. These figures are found in cist graves in a circular form as well as in the megaron building[38]. It is obvious now that these Early Bronze Age III figures developed out of those of the Early Bronze Age II ones with stalk heads. To show the development, however, there is as yet no evidence available. Judging by the variations of the Early Bronze Age III representations, that is figures with two[39], three[40] or four heads[41] or figures having carved on their bodies realistic anthropomorphic forms[42] or forms like themselves[43] or lions[44], the development from the Early Bronze Age II examples is not direct but influenced by foreign cultures. The lions, which were absent in Anatolia in this period, show that the direction of the newcomers or influence tends to come, as T. Özgüç many years ago pointed out, from the South. The influence of the South on Kültepe is unquestionable as seen in the later Karum levels. In fact, as N. Özgüç pointed out, the existence of prototypes of the Syrian bottles in the Early Bronze Age II grave as a funerary gift and the actual type of Syrian bottles in the Early Bronze Age III[45] would stress the relation of Kültepe to the South.

CATALOGUE*
Figure 1. Kt. K/T 220.
Intact. H. 9 cm Th. 0.9 cm

Figure 2. Kt. K/T 203
Intact. Weathered. H. 11.9 cm Th. 1.5 cm

Figure 3. Kt. K/T 201
Intact. Right side of the body damaged. H. 8.5 cm Th. 1.2 cm

Figure 4. Kt. K/T 219
Intact except for the head. II. 10.1 cm Th. 1.4 cm

Figure 5. Kt. K/T 202
Intact except for the head and neck. H. 8.1 cm Th. 1.1 cm

Figure 6. Kt. K/T 224.
Intact. II. 12.4 cm Th. 1 cm

Figure 7. Kt. K/T 226
Intact except for the lower part of the body. H. 10 cm Th. 1.1 cm

Figure 8. Kt. K/T 223
Intact except for the head and neck. H. 9.1 cm Th. 1 cm

Figure 9. Kt, K/T 204
Intact. II. 16.5 cm Th. 1.2 cm

Figure 10. Kt. K/T 228
Intact. H. 11.4 cm Th. 1.3 cm

Figure 11. Kt. K/T 218
Intact except for the right corner of the body. H. 10 cm Th. 1.1 cm

Figure 12. Kt. K/T 217
Intact except for the head and neck. H. 10.3 cm Th. 1.4 cm

Figure 13. Kt. K/T 222
Intact except for the head and neck. H. 8.2 cm Th. 0.9 cm

Figure 14. Kayseri Museum 1963
Intact. H. 5 cm Th. 1.4 cm

Figure 15. Kt. K/T
Intact. H. 6.1 cm Th. 1.3 cm

Figure 16. Kt. K/T 177
Intact. II. 3.4 cm Th. 1.2 cm

Lev.— Plate I. .

Lev.— Plate II. .

Lev.— Plate III. .

Lev.— Plate IV. .

* These anthropomorphic figures are kept at the Ankara and Kayseri Archaeological Museums.

Footnotes

  1. The author is grateful to the director of excavations of Kültepe, my teacher Prof. Dr. Tahsin Özgüç, for his kind permission use to first this material in his Ph.D. dissertation submitted to the University of London and to become now the subject of this article.
  2. Tahsin Özgüç; Early Anatolian Archaeology in the light of recent research, Plan I and Plates IV and V, Anatolia VII (1963).
  3. Unpublished objects which are kept at the Ankara Archaeology Museum. / Önder Bilgi; Development and Distribution of Anthropomorphic Figures in Anatolia from the Neolithic to the End of the Early Bronze Age, unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of London 1972 Pl. CXVIII Fig. 11 and Pl. CXIX Figs. 14, 16.
  4. Kunst und Kultur der Hethiter, Zürich 1961 Fig. 4.
  5. Seton Lloyd-James Mellaart; Beyce Sultan, 1962 Volume I Fig. F. 1 Nos. 1-14 Pl. XXXII No. 1.
  6. Remzi Oğuz Arık; Alaca höyük Hafriyatı - 1935, 1937 Pl. CCXXI No. 138.
  7. Unpublished objects which are kept at the private collection of Koyunoğlu in Konya.
  8. Sedat Alp; Frühbronzezeitliche Marmoridole aus Südwestanatolien, Belleten 29, 1965 Pl. V Nos. 8-9.
  9. H. Bessert; Altanatolien, 1942 Fig. 129.
  10. W. Lamb; Excavations at Thermi in Lesbos, 1936 Pl. XXVI Nos. 30-54, 30-35 and 31-73.
  11. C. W. Blegen; Troy I: The First and Second Settlements, 1950 Volume I Part 2 Plates Fig. 216 No. 37-359. / H. Schliemann; Ilios, 1880 No. 211. / W. Dörpfeld; Troja und Ilion, 1902 Volume I Nos. 345b and 345c.
  12. Unpublished objects which are kept at the Ankara Archaeology Museum.
  13. W. Orthmann; Untersuchungen auf dem Asarcık höyük bei Ilıca, Istanbuler Mitteulingen, 1966 Pl. 7 No. 3.
  14. E. Schmidt; The Alişar höyük, seasons of 1928 and 1929, part I Volume XIX Fig. 62 Nos. 70, 2182, 956, 957, 103. / H. H. von der Osten; The Alişar höyük, seasons of 1930-1932 part I Volume XXVIII Fig. 182 Nos. 1318, 805, 1511.
  15. W. Orthmann; Ibid., loc. cit.
  16. W. Lamb; Ibid., Pl. XXVI No. 30-35.
  17. W. Lamb; Ibid., Pl. XXVI No. 30-54.
  18. Önder Bilgi; Ibid., Pl. CLXXXIII Figs. 2-3.
  19. E. Schmidt; Ibid., Fig. 62 Nos. 956, 957, 103. / H. H. von der Osten; Ibid., Fig. 182 Nos. 805, 1511.
  20. Thermi, Asarcık, and Alişar: von der Osten; Ibid., Fig. 182 No. 805 and Schmidt; Ibid., Fig. 62 No. 956.
  21. Karayavşan, and Alişar: Schmidt; Ibid., Fig. 62 Nos. 957, 103 and von der Osten; Ibid., Fig. 182 No. 1511.
  22. Still unpublished objects.
  23. K. Karamete; Idoles Recemment Découvertes au Kültepe Pl. 3 No. 20 Revue Hittite et Asianique, 29 Janv. 1938.
  24. H. H. von der Osten; Ibid., Fig. 182 No. 805.
  25. H. H. von der Osten; Ibid., Fig. 183 No. 144.
  26. Ş. A. Kansu; Les Fouilles d’Eti Yokuşu, 1940 Fig. 81 Nos. 382, 290, 291.
  27. Unpublished objects which are kept at the Museum of the Middle East Technical University, Önder Bilgi; Ibid., Pl. CLXXXVII Fig. 1.
  28. C. W. Blegen; Ibid., Fig. 360 Nos. 36-297, 37-628, 37-49, 37-258 Fig. 216 No. 33-324. / H. Schliemann; Ibid., Fig. 224 and Fig. 223. / W. Dörpfcld; Ibid., Fig. 344c.
  29. C. W. Blegen; Troy II: The Third, Fourth and Fifth Settlements, 1951 Volume II Part 2 Plates Fig. 48 Nos. 34-436 and 33-179, Fig. 149 Nos. 37-82 and 36-406. / B. Kadish; Excavations of Prehistoric Remains at Aphrodisias, 1967 Pl. 23 Fig. 5 American Journal of Archaeology, 73, 1968 Jan. / B. Kadish; Excavations of Prehistoric Remains at Aphrodisias 1968-1969 Pl. 29 Fig. 33 American Journal of Archaeology 76, 1971.
  30. N. Özgüç; Marble Idols and Statuettes from the Excavations at Kültepe Figs. 17-18 and 21 Belleten 21, 1957. / K. Karamete; Ibid., Pl. 2 Nos. 15-16.
  31. Alişar höyük, Koçumbeli, Ahlatlıbel, Eti Yokuşu.
  32. B. Kadish; Ibid., 1971 p. 131 No. 8.
  33. W. Dörpfeld; Ibid., Fig. 348b.
  34. W. Dörpfeld; Ibid., Fig. 348a and 348i.
  35. H. Schliemann; Ibid., No. 215. / W. Dörpfeld; Ibid., Fig. 348h.
  36. H. Schliemann; Troja, 1884 No. 72.
  37. N. Özgüç; Ibid., Figs, 1 and 2-3. / T. Özgüç; Ibid., Pl. III.
  38. N. Özgüç, Ibid, p. 71 and T. Özgüç; Ibid., p. 12.
  39. N. Özgüç; Ibid., Fig. 16.
  40. A. T. Olmstead; Two stone idols from Asia Minor, Pl. LXXX No. 1 Syria 10, 1929; T. Özgüç, Kurs vücutlu Kültepe idolleri (Arkeoloji Araştırmaları I, 1942, p. 20).
  41. An unpublished object which is kept at the Ankara Archaeology Museum.
  42. S. Przeworski; Ein Altkleinasiatisches Alabaster-Fragment in Dresden, Archiv Orientalni 1932 Volume IV. Pl. II
  43. K. Karamete; Idoles du Kültepe au Musée de Kayseri, Revue Hittite et Asiatique 18, 1935 Janv. PI. 5 No. 1 / K. Karamete; Idoles du Kültepe au Musée de Kayseri Revue Hittite et Asiatique 24, 1936 Juil. Pl. 11 No. 13
  44. N. Özgüç; Ibid., Fig. 12. / Ö. Bilgi; Ibid., Pl. CCLXXXII Fig. 47.
  45. T. Özgüç; Ibid., p. 12.

Şekil ve Tablolar

Lev.— Plate I. .
Lev.— Plate II. .
Lev.— Plate III. .
Lev.— Plate IV. .