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FINDS - Stamp Seals and Clay Figures

Ali Umut Türkcan

Three clay stamp seals and thirty-three clay figures or fragments of clay figures, were recovered in the 2003 season, as well as one incised stone. The stamp seals represent the first attributable to depositional contexts since the excavations re-started in 1995. Until this last season, we had recovered only five fragmentary pieces and one incised flat gabbro stone of uncertain sealing function (Archive Report 1999). This season two stamp seals of geometric design were recovered from a human burial context, and the third, although incomplete, appeared to be in the form of a leopard which was recovered from an unstratified Neolithic midden context (Fig. 26). The incised stone was found unstratified in a topsoil context (8745: Fig. 27).

Figure 26. Stamp seal (8805.X2) and an example of a leopard wall relief excavated by Mellaart in Shrine VIB.44.

 

Figure 27. Incised flat gabbro stone (8745.X1).

Clay figures were recovered from all areas of excavation in the 2003 season, that is from the new 4040 Area, and on-going areas of BACH, TP and the Chalcolithic West Mound. The vast majority are only small fragments which are hard to identify. Other fragments represent pieces of horn or limbs of animals whilst many complete pieces are generally humanoid and animal figurines (Fig. 28).

Figure 28. Clay face with chipped nose, broken from the neck (8628.X1).

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