Canhasan
Canhasan Höyüğü · Canhasan Höyük · Çanhasan · Canhasan I-III
Pottery Neolithic to Early Bronze·Central Anatolian Chalcolithic·🇹🇷 Karaman Province, Konya Plain south, Turkey
About
About Canhasan
Three mounds (Canhasan I, II, III) spanning Pottery Neolithic to Chalcolithic-Early Bronze (c.6000–3000 BCE) on the south Konya Plain, bridging Çatalhöyük to Mersin-Yumuktepe. David French's excavations revealed painted pottery, copper, and fortified Chalcolithic Canhasan I Level 1 with megaron buildings, anticipating Aegean architecture. Canhasan III is PPNA-PPNB aceramic predecessor and Canhasan I is Late Chalcolithic tell.
Why it mattersStratified Neolithic-Chalcolithic sequence; painted pottery trade; megaron origins.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Megaron antecedent to Troy?
- 02Cultural break at 3000 BCE?
Theories
- 01Konya Plain corridor to Aegean
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.6000–3000 BCE (with Canhasan III 8000–7000 BCE)
- Period
- Pottery Neolithic to Early Bronze
- Culture
- Central Anatolian Chalcolithic
- Builders
- Konya Plain Chalcolithic farmers
- Purpose
- Farming tell, copper exchange
- Abandoned
- c.3000 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1958 James Mellaart survey; 1961–68 French
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1961
British Institute Ankara excavations
c.5000 BCE
Painted pottery horizon
On the ground
Structures & features
37.1550° N · 33.5200° E · 1030 m · 3 mapped features
Canhasan I megaron (Level 1)
houseChalcolithic megaron building
37.1552° N · 33.5202° ECanhasan III aceramic level
settlementPre-pottery village base
37.1548° N · 33.5198° EPainted pottery workshop
workshopUbaid-like painted ware
37.1551° N · 33.5201° E