Prehistoric Research in Ephesos

The first systematic research into the prehistoric period in Ephesos took place in the framework of excavations of Çukuriçi Höyük, which began in 2006 with preliminary investigations; research was then continued between 2007 and 2009 as a »Foundation Research Project on the Copper- and Bronze Ages in Ephesos« financed by the Austrian Science Fund. The primary goal of these excavations was an archaeological definition of the settlement hill and the epochs of its usage, leading to an understanding of the prehistoric period in the region of Ephesos. The excavations were associated with an interdisciplinary spectrum of methods of analysis, which in addition to archaeology also encompassed the disciplines of archaeozoology, archaeobotany, geology, geophysics, metallurgy, physics, chemistry, mineralogy and petrography. Parallel to this approach, drillings were carried out with a variety of questions and differing analyses of the find materials; the processing of the find materials was initiated and to a great extent also completed. Excavation reports and studies relating to the differing, detailed aspects were published; a selection of excavated find contexts from a variety of periods has been exhibited since 2010 in the Archaeological Museum in Selçuk. The results of this project, in combination with research results from the region around Pergamon, led immediately to new and more broadly conceived studies, which will be implemented within the framework of an FWF-START-Project respectively of an ERC-Starting Grants. With these means, additional excavations at Çukuriçi Höyük are planned, as well as surveys of deposits in its vicinity, amongst other activities.

With these means, additional excavations have been carried out since 2011 at Çukuriçi Höyük, as well as surveys of mineral deposits in its environs. The first excavation campaign of this new project took place in June and July, 2011. Immediately, certain finds, including pit complexes and houses with a number of usage levels, could be ascertained, which date back to before the earliest phase excavated until now (Early Chalcolithic: 6200–6000 B.C.). Furthermore, a ditch was found which must belong to a later settlement phase, that is, to the Late Chalcolithic (4th millennium) or to the Early Bronze Age (early 3rd millennium). Parallel to the excavation activities, a geological survey was also carried out, the goal of which was to provide foundations for future investigations into the most important deposits of raw material (rocks, mineral ores).

Perspective on the new Research

The focus of future work lies on the periods of the early settlement in the Neolithic era (7th mill. B.C.) and the horizon of the first proto-urban structures in the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Ages (4th – 3rd mill. B.C.). Both of these cultural horizons are present at Çukuriçi Höyük and should be further excavated. By means of multidisciplinary and diachronic studies, models will be developed for studying changing societies in a transforming environment in western Anatolia. The basis of the modelling is the creation of new contextual data for the micro-region of Ephesos, in order to conduct comparative studies with other areas and results. The various research approaches and methods are bundled with three primary levels of groups of questions:

• Archaeological Periods and Cultures
• Societies in their changing Environment
• Communication, Exchange and Relationship Structures

Duration of Project

2010–2016

Financing

• 1. FWF-Project P 19859-G02
  »Foundation Research Project on the Copper- and Bronze Ages in Ephesos«
  Length of project: 1.6.2007−30.7.2010
• 2. FWF-START-Projekt Y 528
  »From Sedentism to Protourban Societies in Western Anatolia«
  Length of project: 2010–2016
• 3. ERC-Starting Grant 263339
  »Prehistoric Anatolia«
  length of project: since 1.7.2011

Cooperations

• Archaeology: A. Galik, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Institute for Anatomy
• Archaeobotany: U. Thanheiser, Vienna Institute for Archaeological Science (VIAS)
• Radiocarbon dating: B. Weninger, Radiocarbon Laboratory, University of Cologne
• Metallurgy and Material analyses: E. Pernicka, Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Mannheim und University of Tübingen, Troia Project
• Metallurgy: M. Mehofer, Vienna Institute for Archaeological Science (VIAS)
• Deposits Research: G. Borg, Institute for Geosciences, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, www.petrology.de
• Anthrakology: N. Bleicher, Dendro Laboratory Zürich
• Organic Analysis: L. Puchinger, Technical University Vienna, Institute of Chemical Engineering
• F. Sauter, Technical University Vienna, Institute of applied synthetic chemistry
• Digital Recording of Finds and Maintenance of Data Bank: Th. Urban
• Excavation Technology: M. Börner, A. Buhlke
• Photography: N. Gail
• Anthropology (completed): F. Kanz, Medical University of Vienna
• Geophysics (completed): Posselt und Zickgraff GbR

Cooperating Institutions and Excavations

• Pergamon Excavations: F. Pirson, German Archaeological Institute (DAI) Istanbul <http://www.dainst.org>
• Aktopraklık Excavations: N. Karul, Univerisity of Istanbul
• Barcin Höyük Excavations: F. Gerritsen, Netherlands Institute in Turkey
• Excavations in Çamlıbel Tarlası: U. Schoop, University of Edinburgh
• Various Excavations in Central Anatolia: T. Zimmerman, Bilkent Universität Ankara

Bibliography

• M. Bergner – B. Horejs – E. Pernicka, Zur Herkunft der Obsidianartefakte vom Çukuriçi Höyük, StTroica 18, 2008, 251–273.
• B. Horejs, Çukuriçi Höyük. A New Excavation Project in the Eastern Aegean. (6. 2. 2008) ISBN 978-80-223-2376-5.
• B. Horejs mit Beiträgen von F. Galik und U. Thanheiser, Erster Grabungsbericht zu den Kampagnen 2006–2007 am Çukuriçi Höyük, ÖJh 77, 2008, 91–106.
• B. Horejs, Metalworkers at the Çukuriçi Höyük? An Early Bronze Age Mould and a »Near Eastern weight« from Western Anatolia, in: T. L. Kienlin – B. Roberts (Hrsg.), Metals and Societies. Studies in honour of Barbara S. Ottaway, Universitätsforschungen zur Prähistorischen Archäologie 169 (Bonn 2009) 358-368.
• B. Horejs, Çukuriçi Höyük. Neue Ausgrabungen auf einem Tell bei Ephesos, in: S. Aybek – A. Kazım Öz (Hrsg.), Metropolis Ionia II. Yolların Kesiştiği Yer/The Land of the Crossroads. Festschrift Recep Meriç (Istanbul 2010) 167−175.

Current and completed academic degree work:

• M. Bergner, Die geschlagenen Steinartefakte vom Çukuriçi Höyük (Mag. Universität Wien).
• Ch. Britsch, Die frühbronzezeitlichen Kleinfunde des Çukuriçi Höyük (Masterarbeit, Universität Tübingen).
• S. Grasböck, Die Siedlungsorganisation des Çukuriçi Höyük – Architektur- und Funktionsanalyse der frühbronzezeitlichen Besiedlungsphasen (Mag. Universität Wien).
• M. Mehofer, Die Metallurgie auf dem Çukuriçi Höyük. Spätchalkolithische und frühbronzezeitliche Metallverarbeitung in Westanatolien (Mag. Universität Wien).
• S. Mattová, Steinartefakte vom Çukuriçi Höyük (ungedr. Mag. Komenius-Universität Bratislava 2010).
• M. Renger, Konzepte zur Neolithisierung in West-Anatolien. Das neolithische Paket als Konstrukt zur Diskussion des Çukuriçi Höyük (Masterarbeit, Leipzig).
• M. Röcklinger, Das Inventar aus Raum 1 der Phase ÇuHöIII. Kontextuelle Analysen zu frühbronzezeitlicher Gefäßkeramik (Masterarbeit, Universität Wien).
• L. Schneider, Die prähistorische Besiedlung des Kaikostales anhand von GIS-gestützter Analysen (B.A. Universität Münster).
• C. Schwall, Das späte Chalkolithikum in Westanatolien und auf den Ägäischen Inseln. Studien zu Ergebnissen vom Çukuriçi Höyük (Diss. Universität Heidelberg).
• J. Traumüller, Frühbronzezeitliche Keramikwaren. Studien zu Herstellung und Technologie auf dem Çukuriçi Höyük (B.A. Universität Wien).
• D. Wolf, Studien zur Geologie im Kaystros- und Kaikostal. Zur Nutzung von Lagerstätten und Rohstoffen in der Urgeschichte (Diss. Halle a.d.Saale).
• D. Würtenberger, Tierknochen von Barcın Höyük im Kontext der Neolithisierung von West- und Nordwestanatolien (Mag. Universität Wien).

Contact

Barbara Horejs, http://www.barbarahorejs.at