Güvercinkayası
Güvercinkayası Höyüğü · Güvercin Kayası · Mamasun Höyük
Middle Chalcolithic (Ubaid-related Late Chalcolithic 5500–4000 BCE window)·Central Anatolian Chalcolithic (Aksaray-Melendiz)·🇹🇷 Aksaray Province, Gülağaç District, Melendiz Valley, Mamasun Dam, Turkey
About
About Güvercinkayası
Güvercinkayası is a fortified Middle Chalcolithic (c.5200–4800 BCE) rocky outcrop village 16 m above Melendiz River right bank near Mamasun, now island in Mamasun Dam reservoir. Excavated 1996–present by Sevil Gülçur (Istanbul Univ), it is a 3 ha burned fortified settlement with stone fortification wall dividing upper and lower town, bottleneck entry, courtyard houses with pisé on stone, copper awl and extensive craft. Dominates Melendiz obsidian trade (Göllü Dağ). Defines Central Anatolian Chalcolithic fortified hilltop model before EBA citadels — early social complexity in Cappadocia.
Why it mattersBest fortified Middle Chalcolithic hilltop in Cappadocia documenting Chalcolithic militarization and Göllü Dağ obsidian control before EBA — island preservation unique.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why island-like fort after abandonment — defence vs status?
- 02Copper awl local or traded?
Theories
- 01Gülçur obsidian chiefdom model vs Düring Cappadocia heterarchy
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 Middle Chalcolithic founding; fortified c.5000 BCE; burned c.4800 BCE
- Period
- Middle Chalcolithic (Ubaid-related Late Chalcolithic 5500–4000 BCE window)
- Culture
- Central Anatolian Chalcolithic (Aksaray-Melendiz)
- Builders
- Chalcolithic hilltop communities
- Purpose
- Fortified obsidian-control stronghold and valley surveillance
- Abandoned
- c.4800 BCE burnt abandonment
- Rediscovered
- Registered 1994 Gülçur survey, excavated 1996–present
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
1994
Gülçur Aksaray survey registers rocky outcrop fort
1996
Fortification wall and lower town house burning horizon excavated
2025
PLOS ONE macrolithic use study at Güvercinkayası
On the ground
Structures & features
38.4019° N · 34.1966° E · 1100 m · 3 mapped features
Fortification wall and gate
fortification4 m thick stone wall dividing upper/lower town
38.4021° N · 34.1968° ELower town courtyard houses
settlementBurned courtyard pisé houses with copper finds
38.4019° N · 34.1966° EUpper citadel
citadelElite upper rock with storage pits
38.4020° N · 34.1964° E