İmamoğlu Höyük
İmamoğlu Höyük · Imamoglu Hoyuk · Gaziantep Tell
EBA-Iron Age (c.3000-700 BCE)·Amuq/Syro-Hittite (Amuq A-J to Iron Age Patina)·🇹🇷 Gaziantep Province, Nurdağı District, Amanos foothills isthmus, Turkey
About
About İmamoğlu Höyük
İmamoğlu Höyük on the Amanos-Amuq isthmus (Gaziantep Province, Nurdağı District, Amanos foothills isthmus) controls the Marash-Amanos pass that links the Karkamış/Carchemish Euphrates corridor to the Mediterranean. MBA Alalakh levels and Iron Age Syro-Hittite citadel with orthostat reliefs document the Hittite-Mitannian frontier.
Why it mattersAmanos-Amuq gateway between Karkamış plain and Orontes, documenting Hittite-Syro-Hittite continuity near Tell Tuqan.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function of fortified enclosure vs flood defence?
- 02Chronology refined by radiocarbon or ceramic seriation?
Theories
- 01Regional centre vs satellite model
- 02Diffusion vs local development
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.3000 BCE EBA Amuq; Iron Age Syro-Hittite 900 BCE
- Period
- EBA-Iron Age (c.3000-700 BCE)
- Culture
- Amuq/Syro-Hittite (Amuq A-J to Iron Age Patina)
- Builders
- Amuq/Syro-Hittite (Amuq A-J to Iron Age Patina) community builders
- Purpose
- Amuq-Orontes gateway linking Karkamış/Carchemish to Mediterranean
- Abandoned
- c.2000-1200 BCE
- Rediscovered
- Surveyed and excavated (regional project)
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.3000
Foundation and early occupation
c.2500 BCE
Peak fortified horizon
1990
Modern excavation and publication
On the ground
Structures & features
37.2050° N · 36.8250° E · 560 m · 3 mapped features
Iron Age citadel and orthostats
fortificationSyro-Hittite gate and relief orthostats
37.2051° N · 36.8251° EMBA Alalakh level
settlementMBA ceramics and storage
37.2053° N · 36.8252° EHieroglyphic inscription
inscriptionLuwian hieroglyphic orthostat
37.2054° N · 36.8253° E