Pulur Höyük (Erzincan)
Pulur Höyük · Pulur Hoyuk · Kemah Pulur
Chalcolithic-EBA (c.5000-2500 BCE)·Kura-Araxes / Early Transcaucasian (Karaz-Pulur)·🇹🇷 Erzincan Province, Kemah District, Upper Euphrates (Karasu) valley, Turkey
About
About Pulur Höyük (Erzincan)
Pulur Höyük (Erzincan) in Erzincan Province, Kemah District, Upper Euphrates (Karasu) valley anchors the eastern Anatolian Kura-Araxes (Karaz-Pulur) horizon — dark burnished, black-topped ware, portable andirons and double-room Early Bronze houses linking Transcaucasia to the Malatya-Elazığ Keban sequence and to the Kurban-Titriş-Samsat Euphrates chain.
Why it mattersKura-Araxes eponym/link site defining Upper Euphrates burnished horizon towards Giricano-Mezraa.
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.5000 BCE Chalcolithic; Kura-Araxes 3500 BCE
- Period
- Chalcolithic-EBA (c.5000-2500 BCE)
- Culture
- Kura-Araxes / Early Transcaucasian (Karaz-Pulur)
- Builders
- Kura-Araxes / Early Transcaucasian (Karaz-Pulur) community builders
- Purpose
- Highland burnished-ware centre on Upper Euphrates-Aras corridor
- Abandoned
- c.2000-1200 BCE
- Rediscovered
- Surveyed and excavated (regional project)
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.5000
Foundation and early occupation
c.2500 BCE
Peak fortified horizon
1990
Modern excavation and publication
On the ground
Structures & features
39.6120° N · 38.8350° E · 1180 m · 3 mapped features
Portable andiron hearths
installationAndiron hearths in situ
39.6121° N · 38.8351° EBurnished ware kiln
installationBlack burnished kiln
39.6123° N · 38.8352° EFortified EBA level
fortificationEBA stone footing and burnt horizon
39.6125° N · 38.8353° E