4,500-year-old burnt house remains found in archaeological excavations

Excavations at Aşağıseyit Mound, which is thought to have been inhabited since the Copper Age, have been carried out since 2001 under the direction of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erim Konakçı, a faculty member at İzmir Democracy University's Department of Archaeology.

During this year's excavations, archaeologists discovered a burnt-down house from the Hellenistic period and its continuation in the castle walls.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Konakçı said that from the findings they obtained in the mound, they determined the existence of a settlement in the region between the Late Chalcolithic and Roman periods.

Konakçı explained that they were faced with a place that had been inhabited in eight different periods and gave the following information:

"In this year's excavations, we focused on two areas. One of these was the Hellenistic-era city walls. We examined nearly half of the city walls in a visible manner. Our findings indicated that this area was built in 280 BC. Another area of ​​study was the building levels dating to the Early Bronze Age. Here, we encountered houses from four different architectural phases. We obtained a wealth of data about daily life within these houses. We found wheat varieties, figs, and grape seeds in the houses. We also determined that weaving was carried out in the houses, and that baby burials were found in the pottery placed inside the houses. The Çal region stands out today for its vineyards. In this context, the grape seeds dating back 4,500 years reveal the extent of the region's viticultural history."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Konakçı stated that the ruins of the 4,500-year-old burnt house they found during the excavations are still visible.

Konakçı, explaining that they also unearthed various finds inside the burned house, said, "We encountered vessels, statuettes, and a collection of tools made of bone and bronze. We found the north and south walls of the site quite intact. An exciting development for us was encountering building groups within the 3-4 meters of cultural fill that we know date back 4,500 years."

2300-YEAR-OLD CASTLE

Konakçı stated that the information produced by the mound excavations is of great importance and that they evaluated the castle walls they found in the region as dating back to the Hellenistic period.

Konakçı explained that they had the chance to reveal all the data as it was because the castle had not been settled on later, and added:

It is known that there was a military struggle between the Galatians and the Seleucids during this period. Especially after the Battle of the Elephants, the Seleucids became driven to protect the lands they had established, establishing small observation posts and small fortresses to ensure the security of the region. In fact, Aşağıseyit Mound is a settlement that provided security in this sense. When we look at its location, we understand that it occupies a highly strategic position. Therefore, this area was not used solely for agricultural purposes. We should also consider it as a functional military point.

Konakçı stated that the number of castle excavations from the Hellenistic period is limited, and added that in this respect, the scientific studies in Aşağıseyit and the artifacts to be unearthed from there are important.