Gritille Höyük — Karababa Lower South Terrace
Gritille Höyük · Gritille Mound · Giritille Höyük
Halaf to Medieval Islamic (6000 BCE–1300 CE; peak EBA–MBA)·Halaf → Ubaid → EBA Karababa → Neo-Hittite → Medieval·🇹🇷 Adıyaman Province, Euphrates left bank near Menuçök, Turkey
About
About Gritille Höyük — Karababa Lower South Terrace
Gritille is a 1 ha multi-period Euphrates mound salvaged by Bryn Mawr Chicago team (R.S. Ellis, M. Voigt) 1981–84 before Karababa flooding. Deeply stratified: Early Halaf, Ubaid, Late Chalcolithic, full EBA–MBA burned phase, Iron Age Neo-Hittite fort with Luwian blocks, Hellenistic-Roman and Medieval Islamic fortlet. Best known for complete EBA house chain and Medieval cemetery with bio-anthropology.
Why it mattersOnly Karababa mound with continuous Halaf to Medieval uninterrupted stratigraphy and Medieval skeletal collection (osteology).
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Extent of Neo-Hittite administration vs Carchemish?
Theories
- 01Voigt: Karababa hinterland town under Karkamish sphere
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 BCE (Halaf)
- Period
- Halaf to Medieval Islamic (6000 BCE–1300 CE; peak EBA–MBA)
- Culture
- Halaf → Ubaid → EBA Karababa → Neo-Hittite → Medieval
- Builders
- Halaf villagers then EBA fort builders
- Purpose
- Ford town commanding inner Euphrates crossing below Samsat
- Abandoned
- c.1300 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1981–84 GAP rescue (Ellis)
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1981–1984
Bryn Mawr–Şanlıurfa rescue
c.2600 BCE
EBA burned house block with chain address
On the ground
Structures & features
37.6200° N · 38.2300° E · 580 m · 3 mapped features
Gritille EBA Burned House Block
habitationChain of three burnt courtyard houses c.2600 BCE
37.6206° N · 38.2305° EGritille Neo-Hittite Casemate Fort
fortificationIron Age rubble-casemate wall with Luwian spolia
37.6193° N · 38.2308° EGritille Medieval Cemetery
cemetery12th–13th c. cemetery 210 skeletons bioarchaeology
37.6211° N · 38.2294° E