İmikuşağı Höyüğü
Imikusagi Hoyuk · İmikuşağı
EB I–III → MBA → Late Bronze Hittite (3200–1200 BCE) with Iron Age coda·Kura-Araxes → Eastern Anatolian EBA → Hittite-Kizzuwatna fringe·🇹🇷 Elazığ Province, Baskil District, Upper Euphrates Keban, Turkey
About
About İmikuşağı Höyüğü
İmikuşağı is a 12 m stratified tell on the Upper Euphrates Keban plain — Early Bronze (Kura-Araxes/Khirbet Kerak), MBA Assyrian Colony and Late Bronze Hittite fortress levels, excavated 1981–1992 by Ufuk Esin (Istanbul University) before Keban Dam flooding fringe. 8 occupational levels (EB I–MBA) with Kura-Araxes black burnished ware, EB III fortified wall, Hittite pillared hall and cuneiform sealing. Now hillside above Keban reservoir, partially submerged lower town. Links Altınova plain to Malatya-Elazığ trade.
Why it mattersOnly intact Kura-Araxes→Hittite sequence in Altınova-Keban stretch, proving EBA highland colonization and Hittite eastern frontier fort system.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Kura-Araxes as migration vs emulation in Altınova?
- 02Hittite tablet as administration or relay?
Theories
- 01Esin highland corridor vs Sagona Kura-Araxes transhumance
- 02Glatz Hittite fringe fort model
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.3200 BCE EB I Kura-Araxes; EB III walled town c.2600 BCE; Hittite 1600–1200 BCE
- Period
- EB I–III → MBA → Late Bronze Hittite (3200–1200 BCE) with Iron Age coda
- Culture
- Kura-Araxes → Eastern Anatolian EBA → Hittite-Kizzuwatna fringe
- Builders
- Kura-Araxes pastoralists → EBA fortified townsfolk → Hittite governors
- Purpose
- Euphrates crossing fort and Altınova-Keban route control
- Abandoned
- c.1100 BCE Iron Age hiatus; medieval sherd scatter
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1981–1992 Esin Keban salvage
- Excavation
- Excavated
1981
Esin opens Keban step trench, Kura-Araxes horizon
1992
Hittite pillared hall and sealing published, reservoir rise covers lower town
On the ground
Structures & features
38.5800° N · 38.7800° E · 845 m · 3 mapped features
EB III fortification wall
fortificationStone-socle casemate with Kura-Araxes horizon
38.5802° N · 38.7802° EHittite pillared hall
palace14th c BCE hall with sealing
38.5798° N · 38.7800° EKura-Araxes lower levels
settlementEB I black burnished ware village
38.5795° N · 38.7795° E