ÇATALHÖYÜK 2003 ARCHIVE REPORT

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SOUTH SUMMIT AREA, EXCAVATION OF BUILDING 10

Gudmundur Jonsson

Abstract

During the 2003 season excavation recommenced in the Summit Area located under the recently constructed south shelter on the east mound. Excavation had previously been carried out during the seasons of 1996 and 1997 by a Greek team directed by Kostas Kotsakis from the University of Thessaloniki. They began the excavations of Building 10, tentatively assigned to Mellaart’s Level V or later (Kotsakis 1996, 1997). The aim of the 2003 season was to re-open and to excavate features within Building 10 in order to bring the whole space into a single phase. This was largely successful and a series of platforms, benches and ovens were excavated in order to achieve this. It is intended that excavation will continue during the 2004 season with the aim of understanding the evolution of the spatial configuration of Building 10. The area was also renamed the South Summit Area in order to maintain the spatial designation but to distinguish excavations of 1996-7 and new excavations begun this season.

Özet

2003 sezonunda, dogu höyügün üzerinde kisa süre önce yapimi tamamlanan Güney bölgesi koruyucu çatisi altinda kalan Zirve Bölgesi’ndeki kazilara tekrar baslanmistir. Bu bölge daha önce 1996 ve 1997 sezonlarinda, Kostas Kotsakis baskanligindaki Selanik Üniversitesi ekibi tarafindan kazilmisti. Kaziya baslangiçta tahmini olarak Mellaart’in V. ya da daha geç evresine denk geldigi düsünülen 10 nolu binada baslanmisti (Kotsakis 1996, 1997). 2003 yili kazilarinin amaci, 10 nolu binayi yeniden açmak ve içindeki ögeleri tüm mekani ayni evreye getirmek amaciyla kazmakti. Bu amaçla mekanin içinde bulunan pek çok platform, bank ve ocak kazildi. 2004 yilinda 10 nolu binanin mekansal evrimini anlamak amaciyla kazilara devam edilmesi planlanmaktadir. Ayrica, bir yandan mekanin tanimini korurken, diger yandan yeni baslayan kazilari 1996-1997 yilindaki kazilardan ayristirmak amaciyla bu bölge Güney Zirve Bölgesi olarak yeniden adlandirilmistir.

Introduction

Work under the south shelter commenced on the 15th of July 2003 and was completed on the 12th of August 2003. Team members during the 2003 season were Gudmundur Jonsson, Pia Andersson, Emma Twigger, Jon Sygrave and Vahit Tursun. The initial work that was carried out focussed on cleaning the area around building 10, removing vegetation and cleaning the large north-south section just west of the excavation area. The backfill from the building was also removed and the surface trowelled back to reveal the uppermost archaeological deposits. Later in the season a series of steps were constructed by local workmen to allow access into the east entrance of the south shelter. Any finds encountered whilst carrying out these different tasks were recorded as being unstratified and associated with unit numbers. The following list shows the unit numbers and associated areas.

5888	Cleaning of topsoil in the immediate vicinity to building 10
5889	Cleaning and trowelling of building 10
5890	Cleaning of large north-south section in south shelter
5891	Cutting of steps for east entrance of south shelter

After the backfill had been removed and the areas cleaned, excavation commenced.

Composite plans were made of the surface of Building 10 as left by the Greek team in 1997 and levels taken at regular intervals. It became apparent that the building exhibited a range of features that were not in phase with each other and areas were identified for excavation in order to bring the whole building into phase.

Excavation followed the single context excavation method. In accordance with the project recording methodology feature numbers were allocated to groups of units within the same feature so as to ease discussion of phasing (e.g. the bench in the southeast of Building 10 has three phases, each one identified with a separate feature number, F.1301, F.1304 and F.1310). The one exception to this rule was the oven, feature F.111, as the phasing did not become apparent until post-excavation analysis had been carried out. All units were sampled according to excavation guidelines set out by the site director, Shahina Farid, which resulted in most units being sampled in their entirety (due to their small size). A discussion of finds is not included here as very few artefacts were encountered in the field and flotation sample residues have yet to be scanned for artefactual material.

Results of the 2003 season
Building 10 (Fig. 39), was divided into four 5m squares and each square labelled as north-west quadrant, north-east quadrant etc. Four areas within the building were identified for initial excavation in order to bring the surface into phase; 1) feature F.111 – an oven that abutted the south wall (feature F.103) and lay on the border of the south-west and south-east quadrants, 2) feature F.1300 (feature F.134 from 1997) – a

Figure 39: Building 10

basin in the north-east quadrant, 3) a series of benches and platforms that abutted the eastern wall (feature F.102) in the north-east and south-east quadrant, and 4) feature F.1314 – a platform in the southwest quadrant together with associated extensions.

1) Oven (features F.111, F.1313)
The oven had been partly excavated by the previous team in 1996 (units (1736), (1739), (1740), (1744)). A box section had been put through it and units were sampled for archaeobotanical remains (Kotsakis 1996). What remained was the eastern half of the oven and the mudbrick perimeter of the western half. The remaining deposits were excavated during the 2003 season and resulted in a total of 35 units which were collected in their entirety and put through the flotation process. Most of these units consisted of fill layers and burnt floor deposits. It became apparent that the oven had 2 phases as well as an earlier phase coming through at its base with a slightly different alignment being further to the east (feature F.1313). Oven F.111 abutted wall F.103. What follows is a description of the oven phases from earliest to latest.

Phase III (feature F.1313)
This earlier phase of oven is represented by a single unit, (8065). It is a burnt floor surface that lies slightly further east along wall F.103 than the later phases of oven. At the end of the 2003 season it was apparent that a series of deposits were below this deposit and that they were in relation to surrounding deposits (as opposed to all the other deposits above unit (8065) which had no relation to surrounding deposits as they had been excavated during 1996-1997). It is also apparent that these deposits run into wall F.103 and this indicates that this phase of oven was cut into the wall. No clear evidence could be found for any mudbrick lining for this phase although a deposit just east of unit (8065) could be the beginnings of a more extensive mudbrick lining. This should become clear during the next season of excavation. The possibility remains that this is not an oven but simply a burnt floor fragment that has been heat affected by the later phase II oven sitting on top of it.

Phase II (feature F.111)
This second phase of oven was comprised of a base packing layer and a mudbrick outer wall with mortar between the bricks which seemed to join seamlessly with the packing layer (units (8034), (8035), (8040), and (8039)). An entrance to the oven was visible although most of it had gone as a result of the previous excavation. The entrance was filled with a series of deposits, all given a single unit number (8036). The relationship between these deposits and the rest of the oven was unclear although they certainly did overly the mudbrick (8039). Contained within the bricks were a series of fill layers (units (8017), (8020), (8021), (8022), (8030), (8031), (8032), (8045), (8046), (8049)). It would seem that this phase of oven was cut slightly into the southern wall (F.103). This is represented by unit (8070).

Phase I (feature F.111)
During this latest phase of oven use the oven had increased in size. Another course of mudbricks had been added onto the pre-existing mudbricks with packing material in between the two rows of mudbricks (units (8037), (8029)). These mudbricks stand higher and fill layers associated with this oven overly the earlier course of bricks and abut this new lining of bricks. The oven wall was constructed in a similar manner and consisted of a horse-shoe shaped outer mudbrick wall with mortar. The bricks were standing vertically with mortar between them (units (8023), (8024)). The entrance to the oven was in the same location as for phase II. Contained within these mudbricks were a series of deposits (units (8002), (8006), (8008), (8009), (8010), (8011), (8012), (8019)). Of these units, (8009), (8011) and (8019) seem to represent a series of compact, burnt floor surfaces.

After the eastern half of the oven had been excavated the western arm that still remained of the oven was excavated. This comprised 8 units, (8055), (8056), (8057), (8058), (8059), (8061), (8062), and (8070). These units represent the western mudbrick perimeter of the oven. These deposits were fairly eroded but both courses of mudbrick, the inner (phase II) and outer (phase III) could be seen together with mortar and packing material in between the brick courses.

This sequence of 3 phases shows how the oven has migrated slightly to the west along the southern wall of building 10. Its increase in size during phase I could simply represent a reinforcing of the oven wall. However, it is interesting to note the lack of compact burnt floor surfaces within the phase II oven. This together with the increase in size may represent a change in the ovens function although this remains unclear at this stage. Analysis of flotation residue showed a surprising lack of carbonised plant material which one would have expected from an oven installation such as this. It would seem that these ovens were meticulously cleaned out. This is apparently very often the case with ovens at Çatalhöyük.

2) Basin (feature F.1300)
This feature was located in the north-east quadrant of Building 10. It was made up of two units, (8000) and (8003). The surface of the basin was made up of a plaster layer (8000) which lipped up onto a mudbrick deposit (feature F.1302) along its northern edge. This plaster deposit also formed a rim along the western and southern edges of this feature. A coarser and darker packing deposit (8003) formed the base of this feature. This basin abutted a platform (F.1316) along its eastern edge. The basin was half-sectioned.

3) Platforms and benches along the eastern edge of Building 10
Through the excavation of the eastern part of Building 10 a series of bench and platform phases were revealed. This discussion will follow the phases from latest to earliest, i.e. in the order that they were excavated.

Phase I
The first feature to be excavated was bench F.1301. This feature consisted of two units, (8001) and (8013). It was east-west aligned and abutted wall F.102 with a small gap between bench and wall of about 15 cm (either as a result of 1997 excavation or it may have been a deliberate gap for something upright?). The bench was made up of mudbrick and plaster (8001), (8013) and was 100 cm long and 45 cm wide.

Phase II
After bench F.1301 had been excavated the outline of an earlier phase of bench appeared – bench F.1304. This earlier bench was located almost directly underneath bench F.1301 although a little further to the north. Platforms abutted bench F.1304 both to the north (1305) and south (1306, 1311). Platform F.1306 was made up of a series of packing and plaster deposits (8026), (8027), (8028), (8038), (8041), that had been truncated. Platform F.1311 was sitting in isolation just south of platform F.1306 (8052), (8053), (8054) and it seems likely that these two platforms were originally connected and would have formed a single platform. A cut was discovered along the southern edge of platform F.1311 which contained a uniform fill. Its function is unclear although it may represent a depression where the ladder base may have sat. This needs further investigation.

Before platform F.1311 could be excavated a series of small plaster and mudbrick deposits (units (8014), (8015) and (8016)) had to be removed. These deposits sat on top of the western edge of platform F.1311 in the south-east quadrant of Building 10 and they seem to represent a repair to the platform edge.

Platform F.1305 (to the north of bench F.1304) was made up of a series of packing and plaster deposits (8005), (8007), (8018), (8025). Unit (8025) was the only unit actually abutting bench F.1304 to the south and to the north it was on top of a mudbrick deposit which turned out to be another bench (F.1315). After unit (8025) had been excavated the northern edge of bench F.1310 was revealed, the last bench phase to be exposed during the 2003 season. On top of and to the north of bench F.1315 was platform F.1316. This platform may be contemporary with platform F.1305 as they both sit on top of bench F.1315. Platform F.1316 is comprised of a single deposit (8060) and it abutted platform F.1302 which was located along the northern edge of the building.

Platform F.1302 (unit (8069)) was heavily truncated with a feature incorporated into its eastern edge (basin/storage bin?). This feature was rather unclear however due to heavy truncation. During the excavation of platform F.1302 patches of burnt mudbrick were evident. This may indicate the reuse of mudbrick from abandoned buildings. Two artefacts were also discovered incorporated into the mudbrick matrix, a worked bone point (X.1 – awl?) and an obsidian blade. These artefacts may represent ritual deposition during the construction of the platform (Nerissa Russell pers. comm. – she mentioned several examples from other buildings) and a further example of such artefact deposition was encountered in the southwest corner of Building 10 (see platform F.1314 discussion below).
Bench F.1304 was excavated after the above sequence of platforms had been removed. This feature was considerably eroded and consisted of two units, (8043), a plaster deposit and (8044), a mixture of mudbrick and plaster.

Phase III
This phase consists of a series of platforms and benches similar to the sequence in phase I and II. None of these features were excavated during the 2003 season and await further investigation.

Beneath bench F.1304 another bench was encountered (F.1310). This bench was abutted by platforms to the north (F.1320) and south (F.1312). Platform F.1320 seemed to run underneath bench F.1315 to the north. Bench F.1315 was abutted by a platform to the north (F.1321) and this platform was in turn abutted by a platform to the west (F.1307 – encountered under platform F.1302).

The surface of bench F.1310 contained two semi-circular features which indicate that the bench may have been decorated at some point. Benches decorated with horn-cores as found by Mellaart spring to mind although this clearly needs further investigation. These circular features had been filled and plastered over showing that the bench had changed over time (see Fig 40). It should also be mentioned that some plaster layers within these platforms showed fragments of red paint although no continuous painted surface was ever encountered.

Abutting the eastern wall of Building 10 (F.102) were a two clay pillars (F.1308 and F.1309). Pillar F.1308 is abutted by bench F.1315 and pillar F.1309 is located just south of the series of benches (F.1301, F.1304, F.1310). Both pillars have been plastered extensively. Pillar F.1309 may consist of 2 pillars, one abutting another, with a quern stone fragment used as backing for the abutting pillar. All the platforms encountered along the eastern edge of Building 10 abut these pillars.

4) Platform F.1314 and associated platform extensions
In the southwest quadrant of Building 10 there was a platform (F.1314) that showed evidence of extension to the north (F.1317, F.1318) and east (F.1317). Extension F.1318 was excavated at the end of the season (units (8072), (8073) & (8075)) and excavation commenced on platform F.1314 on units that did not relate to surrounding deposits (units (8066), (8067), & (8068)). What became evident through excavation was a sloping towards the platform centre. There is considerable bioturbation in this area (burrowing) and this may explain the sloping but it is also possible that the platform contains a cut – possibly a burial – although this is purely speculative at this time. Fragments of red paint were also in evidence in this area – individual plaster layers could be discerned with red paint layers. This platform is almost certainly feature F.112 as identified as Kostas Kotsakis (see Fig. 3 in 1996 archive report).

During the cleaning of this area at the beginning of the season a cluster of bones and artefacts were found within platform F.1314. In the interest of conservation it was decided to lift the majority of these items. These items were given a single unit number, (8004), and their location recorded. The bones have been identified as a mixture of sheep/goat astragali and an almost complete wolf paw (Nerissa Russell pers. comm.). The artefacts consisted of Neolithic pottery sherds (Nurcan Yalman pers comm.), a quartz fragment and worked stone (for a full description see unit sheet (8004)). Whether these artefacts were deposited during the construction of the platform or at a later date cannot be determined until the area has been fully investigated. This deposition may have ritual significance as with the deposition within platform F.1302 (see above).

A small plaster/mudbrick deposit (8074) that abutted the eastern platform extension (F.1317) was also removed. This deposit was given feature number F.1319.

Discussion

The aim of bringing the surface of Building 10 into phase was largely met during the 2003 excavation season. Work focussed entirely on the domestic space contained within the outer mudbrick walls of Building 10. The west wall (feature F.104) would not, however, seem to be the actual outer wall of the building. Deposits west of the wall show a continuation of the building to the west and the relationship between wall F.104 and F.105 (the north wall) is not certain. Similarly there would seem to be the remains of another building abutting the northwest corner of Building 10 (Space 115 as identified by Kotsakis). Two smaller walls located east of Building 10 (walls F.132 and F.144) also need further investigation. Kotsakis mentions the possibility that they may define a small lane running along the east side of Building 10 (Kotsakis 1997). Future research will yield further light on these relationships.

Figure 40: Features within Building 10