Preliminary Report 2008
KOMANA ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT 2008 REPORT
Assoc.Prof. Burcu Erciyas, Emine Sökmen
Introduction:
The field work which included archaeological extensive survey, geomorphological and geophysical prospections and architectural
drawing of the hexagonal pool which was discovered in 2004 was conducted between 7-28 August 2008. Our team included
Assoc.Prof. D. Burcu Erciyas (Director), Asst.Prof. Bekir Necati Altın (Geomorphologist, Niğde University), Emine Sökmen
(METU PhD Student), Ahmet Çinici (METU PhD Student), Coşku Kocabıyık (METU Master’s Student), Hakkı Üncü (METU Master’s Student),
Ercan Semih Er (Dokuz Eylül University Archaeology Student), Rüştü Sünnetçi (Adnan Menderes University Archaeology Student),
Özgür Aktürk (Reserach Assistant, METU Geological Engineering) and Nuray Kaya (Ministry Representative, Kırşehir Museum).
Definition and Goal of the Survey Project:
During the surveys conducted in the past 4 years, data that revealed the settlement history at and around the site was recovered.
The boundary of the urban settlement was partially understood with the help of the visible remains and the descirptions provided
by the ancient sources. The extensive survey in the last 2 years have concentrated on better understanding the territorium of
the site and has emphasized the significance of the territory in identifying the role of the site in its larger context.
The finds ranging from the Early Bronze Age through the Ottoman Period also revealed the potential of the region for
further and more detailed archaeological explorations.
Archaeological Survey 2008:
Burcu Erciyas, Emine Sökmen
2nd Millennium Site:
A 2nd millenium site was discovered for the first time in the survey. The Uğrak/Esmelerbaşı flat settlement was investigated together
with a tumulus across from the site and a rock-cut tomb in the village situated below the hill on which the site was discovered.
The pottery finds included samples from the 2nd millenium, Iron Age and the Hellenistic period.
Iron Age/Hellenistic Period Sites:
Three forts that could be dated to the Iron Age/Hellenistic period have been discovered. Küçükbağlar/Kale Tepesi is situated to the west of Komana and has defensive walls that are only visible through the looter’s trenches.
Other architectural remains include walls, remains of a possible vaulted structure and a natural hollow in the rock which was blocked by collapsed rocks.
The pottery especially found around the vault could be dated to the Iron Age and Hellenistic period.
The Geyraz Fort is only a few km from the Tokat city center and is on top of a very steep rock which does not suggest the presence of a fort at all.
However, the fort includes flattened rock surfaces, remains of walls and a monumental staircase. The staircase has 20 visible steps.
On the debris washed by the rain in and through a hole at the backside of the staircase was found a coin dating to the reign of Mithradates VI.
This bronze coin minted in Amisos has a portrait of Ares on the obverse and sword in sheath on the reverse typical for this period.
Another possible fort site is situated near Sevindik in Çiftliğindere and is known as Kale Tepe. Here a wall below the rock outcrop and ceramics dating to the Iron Age and Hellenistic period were discovered.
In addition to the forts, a very low mound site dating to as early as the Early Bronze Age through the Ottoman period was discovered near Sevindik. The site yielded only some ceramics and crude stones that could have been used in construction.
Iron Age pottery was densely found at a possible tumulus with an attached site near Bakımlı. The looters have revealed a profile of the tumulus cutting through it. The tumulus seems to have a chamber tomb built of cut stones, a heap of stone on top of it followed by a heap of earth. Painted Iron Age pottery and some features cut in the bedrock were among the significant finds of this site.
Roman Period
Two sites that definitely date to the Roman perİod were discovered.
Güzeldere/Geyseri is situated 15km west of Tokat and is a registered site. Remains of monumental buildings are visible in a large field where there have been some illegal digging.
There are numerous decorated blocks in the village and some of the blocks that are in situ reach to about 2,5m a piece. The name of the modern village Güzeldere, previously Geysere reminds one of the ancient site called Gaziura however Turhal has been identified as Gaziura in the past.
The second site is in Serince, 5 km west of Almus. Here Roman, Byzantine and Seljuk period pottery is found spread across an area of about 170m by 360m. The location of the site is superb and the pottery and other finds mentioned by the villagers suggest that there musth have been a considerable Roman period settlement here.
Byzantine Period / Late Antiquity
Numerous sites that could be dated roughly to the Byzantine/Late Antique/Seljuk and Ottoman period sites were discovered during the 2008 survey. The finds allow only a very general date for these sites since the type of pottery produced in these periods have not been carefully studied in the Black Sea region.
Therefore we will provide a list of sites with little detail here.
1. One of the most significant and datable sites is a complex discovered very near Komana in the hills above the modern village of Ahmetalan to the south. Here walls surrounding a 121m by 136m area were found.
In the center of this area is a single apsed church? with associated buildings. The surrounding wall can be followed on all four sides with breaks on the south and the corners are dominated by what seems to be collapsed towers. A lead seal dating to the late 10th-early 11th century was found and brought to the Museum by a shepherd. The obverse bears an ornamental cross standing on three steps flanked by a fleuron. On the reverse there is a legend of five lines. Translation of the obverse and reverse is ‘Lord, help your servant John Komidetes, (imperial) ostiarios’. The owner of the seal was John Kom(i)det(es), who was an (imperial) ostiarius.
2. A rectangular pool and a vaulted brick structure was discovered at Aydınca/Geksi.
In the village there were numerous architectural blocks suggesting large scale architecture.
3. In the village named Büyükbağlar remains of a church was discovered. The church must have been restored to be used as a house in more recent past. The large blocks reused in the construction must have belonged to the original building.
4. In the highlands of Küçükbağlar, a stone vaulted structure built over a spring and walls associated with this vault were found. These structures must be associated with a nearby settlement which could not be discovered in 2008.
5. Two hilltop sites were discovered near Kat. Dedetepe is situated on top of the mountains to the north of Kat and finds include ceramics and possible stone walls. Bayrak Tepesi is situated on top of a lower hill also to the north, and is more likely a U-shaped observation tower with remains of roughly cut stone walls.
6. Two areas which could be identified as workshops were discovered near Gevrek, one of tiles and the other of glass.
The Architectural Study Conducted at the Hexagonal Pool:
Ahmet Çinici
In 2008, documentation work and drafting were carried out at the hexagonal pool discovered in 2004 near Bula. The aim has been to document the pool in its current situation. In order to fulfill that a 1:20 plan was drawn. On this plan all the visible blocks on the walls and the base of the wall were illustrated. The interior faces of the six walls of the pool were also drawn in 1:20 scale. A general situation plan (1:100) was prepared in order to better understand the situation of the pool on the terrace. Two section drawings (EW-NS) were also produced. All these illustrations have been digitized.
Electrical Resistivity Survey:
(Özgür Aktürk)
An electrical resistivity survey was conducted in the valley in which Komana is situated in order to understand the general geology of the area as well to have an idea on the depth of the alluvial deposition and the bedrock. All of the measurements taken from 7 sites were represented in and interpreted through graphics created with the use of IPI2win software. A separate report will be prepared.
Geomorphological Analysis and an Interpretation of the Urban Settlement in Relation to the Geomorphological Zones:
Bekir Necati Altın, Burcu Erciyas
The site is situated within one of the fertile plains, called Gözova, in the valley of the Iris River. The location of the possible heart of the site, Hamamtepe, is a low rocky outcrop overlooking the river which stands out in the arable landscape which is otherwise devoid of rock outcrops. Six geomorphological zones (1-6) were identified during the 2008 survey.
In the modern valley bottom (1), there are no archaeological remains (7). The lack of archaeological material on the surface of this zone may reflect the fact that it is unlikely to have been densely settled in antiquity because of the risk of flooding, but may also result from burial beneath deep alluvial deposition that has accumulated through centuries.
The site must have spread between the hills on the north and the south sides of the River Iris where some remains on the old valley bottom and river impact zone (2) are still visible today. Evidence for a terraced settlement on the north and south erosional/depositional surfaces (3) was recovered during the surveys. Tokat Museum salvage excavations and the dense scatter of Roman pottery found at certain places are among the discoveries. The necropolises are also situated on these river terraces along the edge of southern hills, the tips of which are marked by burial mounds. Similarly, there were necropolises to the north-west of the Hamamtepe hill beginning from a prominent rock-cut grave and spreading to the east. The terraces to the north of Hamamtepe, in the erosional/depositional zone below 750m (3,) were recognized as having been manmade, possibly covered by deep levels of erosional deposit. On an upper level (4) (another erosional/depositional zone between 750-1000) identified by Altın, archaeological sites do exist. The sites discovered above 1000m, in zone 5, which are mostly Byzantine sites, lie along the watershed, on saddles connecting hills.
