A LATE URUK-EARLY BRONZE AGE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD CEMETERY IN THE UPPER TIGRIS REGION: ASAGI SALAT


Akcay A.

OLBA, cilt.25, ss.49-90, 2017 (AHCI) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 25
  • Basım Tarihi: 2017
  • Dergi Adı: OLBA
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.49-90
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Late Uruk, Early Bronze Age, Transitional Period, Ninevite 5, Cist Grave
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Located in the Upper Tigris Region, within the borders of Diyarbakir-Bismil, Asagi Salat is a hoyuk (mound) situated on the banks of the Tigris River. The cemetery of Asagi Salat, which was revealed as a result of salvage excavations carried out in 2000-2002 and 2009-2010 for five years, presented the richest archeological data at the hoyuk. Featuring unique characteristics in terms of the grave type, grave goods, and the burial customs, with 53 graves discovered, Asagi Salat Cemetery is also the largest cemetery of the period discovered in the region. The Ninevite 5 potteries, vessel forms that are mostly known to belong to the Late Uruk Period, and other small finds discovered in the cemetery indicate that the cemetery can be dated to the Late Uruk-Early Bronze Age Transitional period (3300-2900 B.C.). Within this dating range, the finds of Asagi Salat make significant contributions to the Late Uruk and Early Bronze Age chronology of both the Upper Tigris Region and other cultural sites such as Karababa, Northern Syria, Ancient Mosul, and the Upper Euphrates. Standardization of grave types, grave goods and burial customs suggests formation of a complex society. The differences and similarities of burial customs observed in Asagi Salat Cemetery with the other cemeteries of the same period enrich the understanding of cemetery and the other world of the era.