Hallan Çemi
Hallan Cemi · Hallan Cemi Tepesi
Late Natufian–PPNA (c.12000–10300 BCE)·Natufian-related → PPNA northern Fertile Crescent·🇹🇷 Batman Province, Taurus piedmont, Turkey
About
About Hallan Çemi
Late Natufian–PPNA mound (45 m diameter, 2 m deep deposits) on the Batman River, excavated by Michael Rosenberg 1990s before Batman Dam. Round semi-subterranean houses with stone foundations, non-domestic ‘public building’ with aurochs bucrania, and abundant obsidian document a sedentary forager community c.12000–10300 BCE. Botanical finds show wild wheat and legume intensification just before domestication. Key bridge between Levantine Natufian and Upper Euphrates PPN cultures.
Why it mattersKey Batman Province, Taurus piedmont sequence for Late Natufian–PPNA (c.12000–10300 BCE); semi-sedentary forager base with communal structure.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Hallan Çemi relative to neighbouring centres?
Theories
- 01Regional centre hypothesis for Batman Province
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.12000 BCE
- Period
- Late Natufian–PPNA (c.12000–10300 BCE)
- Culture
- Natufian-related → PPNA northern Fertile Crescent
- Builders
- Natufian-related communities
- Purpose
- Semi-sedentary forager base with communal structure
- Abandoned
- c. 9600 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 20th century survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1960
Foundation/earliest horizon
1980
Major excavations
2020
Conservation/monitoring
On the ground
Structures & features
37.6800° N · 41.4200° E · 680 m · 2 mapped features
Round semi-subterranean houses
structureStone-founded pisé round houses with plastered floors
37.6802° N · 41.4203° EPublic building with bucrania
structureNon-domestic structure with aurochs skulls and benches
37.6798° N · 41.4197° E