Alişar Höyük Lower Terrace
Alişar Höyük · Alişar Höyük South Town · Alishar Lower Town
Chalcolithic to Byzantine (4000 BCE–1200 CE; peak EBA–Phrygian)·EBA → Hittite → Phrygian → Lydian → Byzantine·🇹🇷 Yozgat Province, Sorgun District, Kanak Su basin, Turkey
About
About Alişar Höyük Lower Terrace
Alişar Lower Terrace is the 9 ha outer town below the 30 m high citadel mound (32 ha total) excavated by OI Chicago– von der Osten (1927–32) and later Yozgat Museum. Sequence Chalcolithic EBA through Phrygian burned citadel (Level 2) and Byzantine fortlet. Lower terrace holds karum-period merchant houses with Cappadocian tablets, Phrygian megaron and Hittite pottery kilns.
Why it mattersType sequence for central plateau Chalcolithic–Phrygian and Kanesh karum network interior node.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Identification with Anisa vs Amkuwa?
Theories
- 01von der Osten: plateau empire capital before Phrygia
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.4000 BCE (Chalcolithic)
- Period
- Chalcolithic to Byzantine (4000 BCE–1200 CE; peak EBA–Phrygian)
- Culture
- EBA → Hittite → Phrygian → Lydian → Byzantine
- Builders
- Anatolian villagers then Phrygians
- Purpose
- Plateau trade town on Kanak Su between Hattusa and Kaneš
- Abandoned
- Medieval
- Rediscovered
- 1927 OIP Eastern Anatolia survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1927–1932
von der Osten OI excavations
c.1700 BCE
Karum tablet merchant quarter lower terrace
On the ground
Structures & features
39.6000° N · 35.2600° E · 1010 m · 3 mapped features
Alişar Lower Karum Houses
habitationMBA merchant houses with tablet archive fragments
39.6007° N · 35.2606° EAlişar Phrygian Megaron Terrace
palaceBurnt Phrygian palace with polychrome pottery
39.5993° N · 35.2608° EAlişar Hittite Kiln Quarter
workshopLBA pottery updraft kilns with Hittite ware
39.6010° N · 35.2594° E