Alişar Höyük (Alişar Village Mound)
Alişar Hüyük · Alişar Höyüğü · Alishar Huyuk
Chalcolithic through Byzantine (Chalcolithic, EBA Karum, Hittite, Phrygian, Byzantine)·Anatolian Chalcolithic → Assyrian Colony (karum) → Hittite → Phrygian·🇹🇷 Yozgat Province, Sorgun District, Kanak Su valley, Turkey
About
About Alişar Höyük (Alişar Village Mound)
Alişar Höyük (Alişar Village Mound) is a multi-period tell/ancient village in Yozgat Province, Sorgun District, Kanak Su valley, Turkey — Fortified karum-colony and Hittite administrative centre on Cappadocian trade route Excavated evidence reveals Anatolian Chalcolithic → Assyrian Colony (karum) → Hittite → Phrygian cultural horizons with mudbrick architecture. The citadel mound 400×300 m, 30 m high; lower city 30 ha preserves mudbrick on stone socle, hittite cyclopean footing, phrygian timber-laced technique. Position on Yozgat Province illustrates classic karum-period type-site linking assyrian colony network to hittite heartland — stratified cappadocian chronology.
Why it mattersClassic karum-period type-site linking Assyrian Colony network to Hittite heartland — stratified Cappadocian chronology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Identification with Hittite Ankuwa — contested?
- 02Karum lower town extent vs. Hittite citadel?
Theories
- 01von der Osten karum model vs. Gorny Hittite garrison revision
- 02Cappadocian tablet network decentralised debate
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; EBA Karum phase 2100 BCE; Hittite fortified town 1600 BCE
- Period
- Chalcolithic through Byzantine (Chalcolithic, EBA Karum, Hittite, Phrygian, Byzantine)
- Culture
- Anatolian Chalcolithic → Assyrian Colony (karum) → Hittite → Phrygian
- Builders
- Kanesh karum merchants, Hittite garrison, Phrygian reoccupation
- Purpose
- Fortified karum-colony and Hittite administrative centre on Cappadocian trade route
- Abandoned
- c.600 CE Byzantine abandonment
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1927–1932 von der Osten (Oriental Institute Chicago); later re-evaluated by Gorny
- Excavation
- Excavated
1927
Oriental Institute opens Alişar trench, karum pottery identified
1932
Hittite fortification wall and tablet fragment published
2005
Gorny re-evaluation deep sounding and C14 series
On the ground
Structures & features
39.6061° N · 35.2615° E · 1120 m · 3 mapped features
Karum Lower Town (Assyrian Colony horizon)
settlementEB–MBA Assyrian Colony street and warehouse level
39.6063° N · 35.2617° EHittite Citadel Fortification Wall
fortificationHittite period casemate wall and bastion
39.6059° N · 35.2613° EPhrygian Reoccupation Terrace
terracePhrygian painted ware horizon over Hittite destruction
39.6065° N · 35.2619° E