Sos Höyük (Pasinler / Upper Euphrates Chalcolithic)
Sos Höyük · Sos Hoyuk · Pasinler Sos
Late Chalcolithic through Iron Age (Chalcolithic, EBA Kura-Araxes, MBA, Iron Urartian)·Caucasian–Kura-Araxes → Eastern Anatolian → Urartian·🇹🇷 Erzurum Province, Pasinler District, Pasinler plain, Turkey
About
About Sos Höyük (Pasinler / Upper Euphrates Chalcolithic)
Sos Höyük (Pasinler / Upper Euphrates Chalcolithic) is a multi-period tell/ancient village in Erzurum Province, Pasinler District, Pasinler plain, Turkey — High plateau mound at Euphrates headwaters — type-site for Kura-Araxes expansion into Anatolia Excavated evidence reveals Caucasian–Kura-Araxes → Eastern Anatolian → Urartian cultural horizons with stone architecture. The mound 90×80 m, 6 m high; chalcolithic village 40 m diameter preserves stone-footed wattle-and-daub, kura-araxes black-burnished handmade ware technique. Position on Erzurum Province illustrates easternmost anatolian kura-araxes stratigraphy bridging caucasus–anatolia at euphrates source.
Why it mattersEasternmost Anatolian Kura-Araxes stratigraphy bridging Caucasus–Anatolia at Euphrates source.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Kura-Araxes — migration or pottery diffusion at Sos?
- 02High plateau winter occupation — year-round or seasonal?
Theories
- 01Sagona migration vs. diffusion model for Kura-Araxes
- 02Euphrates headwater pastoral vs. agricultural debate
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.5500 BCE Late Chalcolithic; EBA Kura-Araxes 3500 BCE; MBA 2000 BCE; Iron Urartian 800 BCE
- Period
- Late Chalcolithic through Iron Age (Chalcolithic, EBA Kura-Araxes, MBA, Iron Urartian)
- Culture
- Caucasian–Kura-Araxes → Eastern Anatolian → Urartian
- Builders
- Pasinler early agro-pastoralists, Kura-Araxes migrants, Urartian garrison
- Purpose
- High plateau mound at Euphrates headwaters — type-site for Kura-Araxes expansion into Anatolia
- Abandoned
- c.600 BCE Urartian-Median abandonment
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1994–present Sagona (Melbourne) & Sagona
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
1994
Sagona opens Sos sounding, Chalcolithic Kura-Araxes found
2004
EBA black-burnished sequence and C14 series published
2015
Geophysics maps Urartian fortlet over BA mound
On the ground
Structures & features
40.0239° N · 41.6931° E · 1760 m · 3 mapped features
Late Chalcolithic Kura-Araxes Village Horizon
settlementChalcolithic wattle-and-daub village with black-burnished ware
40.0241° N · 41.6932° EEBA Black-Burnished Workshop Dump
depositEB Kura-Araxes pottery production dump
40.0237° N · 41.6929° EUrartian Fortlet and Pithos Storage
fortificationIron Age Urartian fortlet with pithos storage
40.0241° N · 41.6934° E