Çadır Höyük
Çadır Höyük · Cadir Hoyuk · Çadır Hüyük
Chalcolithic to Byzantine (5200 BCE–1200 CE; peak Hittite and Phrygian)·Central Anatolian Chalcolithic → Hattian → Hittite → Phrygian → Roman·🇹🇷 Yozgat Province, Sorgun District, Turkey
About
About Çadır Höyük
3600-year stratified central Anatolian tell (c.5200 BCE to Byzantine) 16 km south of Sorgun, Yozgat, on the Kanak Su tributary of the Yeşilırmak. Excavated since 1993 (Gorny, Steadman), its 32 m high mound shows Chalcolithic Ubaid-related painted ware, Early Bronze trade wares, Hittite Empire casemate walls (c.1400 BCE rival of Maşat Tapikka), Phrygian agglutinated houses and Roman fortified farm. Key to north-central plateau sequence bridging Alishar–Kaman–Hattusa.
Why it mattersLongest continuous sequence on central plateau after Kaman-Kalehöyük; anchors Chalcolithic northern Ubaid diffusion and Hittite northern frontier debate (Zippalanda rival).
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Is Çadır Höyük = Hittite Zippalanda or Ankuwa vs Uşaklı Höyük?
Theories
- 01Frontier garrison controlling Kanak Su tin-route to Hattusa
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. 5200 BCE (Late Chalcolithic, southern sounding C14)
- Period
- Chalcolithic to Byzantine (5200 BCE–1200 CE; peak Hittite and Phrygian)
- Culture
- Central Anatolian Chalcolithic → Hattian → Hittite → Phrygian → Roman
- Builders
- North-central plateau villagers; Hittite provincial administration
- Purpose
- Regional administrative mound and later fortified hamlet
- Abandoned
- c. 1200 CE (Byzantine abandonment)
- Rediscovered
- 1993 survey; 1994 excavations (University of Chicago–Oriental Institute, then Memorial University)
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.5200 BCE
Earliest Ubaid-type occupation on bedrock
c.1400 BCE
Hittite casemate fort walls built
1994
First trenches; stepwise exposure of Hittite–Phrygian transition
On the ground
Structures & features
39.6800° N · 35.1400° E · 1125 m · 2 mapped features
Hittite casemate wall
fortificationC.1400 BCE fortification with chambers, excavated east slope
39.6802° N · 35.1405° EDeep sounding (Chalcolithic)
trenchSouthern trench reaching 5200 BCE painted wares
39.6798° N · 35.1398° E