Beycesultan | |
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  Beycesultan Location in Turkey | |
| Coordinates:38°15′00″N29°42′00″E / 38.25000°N 29.70000°E /38.25000; 29.70000 |
38°15′00″N29°42′00″E / 38.25000°N 29.70000°E /38.25000; 29.70000Beycesultan (pronounced[ˈbejdʒesulˈtan]) is an archaeological site in westernAnatolia (Asia Minor), located about 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of the modern-day city ofÇivril in theDenizli Province ofTurkey. It lies in a bend of an old tributary ofBüyük Menderes River (Maeander River).
The site (4 ha) has some 40 archaeological layers date from Late Chalcolithic to the Byzantine period.
Beycesultan was occupied beginning in the LateChalcolithic period. This large mound is almost 1 km (0.62 mi) in diameter and 25 m (82 ft) high. The first 20 layers belong to the 5th and 4th millennium BC.[1]
Architecture saw rectangular rooms with mudbrick walls on stone foundations, with benches along the walls.[2]
The settlement increased in size and prominence through the 3rd millennium, with notable religious and civil buildings.[3] In later part of the Early Bronze, the Anatolian Trade Network with trade between Central Anatolia and Western Anatolia, moving into the Aegean islands developed.[4]
InEarly Bronze I there were well-protected Megaron-like structures with porticoes in the front and a fireplace in the main hall.[2] Pottery include beak-spouted jugs and jars. Small temples are built next to the large constructions with offerings and sacred horns.
InEarly Bronze III, the potter's wheel arrived this region associated with the arrival of the Luwian people.[2] Architecture was characterized by Megaron-shaped houses.
Development peaked early in the 2nd millennium with the construction of a massive palace and associated structures. The palace was abandoned and then destroyedc. 1700 BC. Unlike the Early Bronze, Central Anatolia focused more on trade eastward in the Assyrian Trade Network. Western Anatolia (Asia Minor) saw the orientation of sites like Beycesultan more strongly influenced from the west, mainly the Aegean andCrete.
In theTransitional EB/MB (Level VI/V), a stamp seal had Luwian hieroglyphics represented the earliest known evidence of the Indo-European language.[5][2][6]
In theMiddle Bronze I (c. 2000-1800 BCE), Beycesultan was one of the main cities of Asia Minor.[2] In Layer V, a palace was built on the east side of the tell. In addition, there was a lower town.
In theMiddle Bronze II (c. 1800-1550 BCE), the palace has similarities with the palace ofKnossos (Crete, Minoans). It was eventually burnt down in the 17th century BC.[2] Mallaart assigned the destruction to kingHattusili I (c. 1650-1620 BCE) of the Old Hittite Kingdom fighting the Lands ofArzawa in the west. The site was semi-abandoned.
After a few centuries of semi-abandonment, Beycesultan began to rise again, this time more influenced by theHittite regions of Anatolia. Though smaller than the earlier city, the site was of impressive size. After the Anatolian Wars ofSuppiluliuma I (c. 1350 BC), the Hittite Empire was the dominant power to the east in this region. After a second flowering of Beycesultan, it was completely destroyedc. 1200 BC as were many locations in Anatolia at that time.[7]
The site was also the occupied, to a lesser scale, in theByzantine,Seljuk andOttoman period.[8][9] It has been hypothesized that it is the Byzantine town and bishopry "Ilouza" (Ιλούζα), and possibly the HittiteWilusa.[10] However,Fred Woudhuizen, maintains that the name of the site can be positively identified asMira based on epigraphic testimony.[11]
The site of Beycesultan consists of two mounds, divided by the old trading road. The maximum height of 25 meters is at the western mound and the entire site is around a kilometer in diameter, covering an area of about 35 hectares.
In early 1950sJames Mellaart discovered specimens of "champagne-glass" style pottery in a Late Bronze Age context near the site. A search identified the höyük (mound) of Beycesultan upstream of the Menderes river.[12]
Seton Lloyd, along with James Mellaart, excavated Beycesultan on behalf of theBritish Institute of Archaeology atAnkara for six seasons from 1954 to 1959 with each dig lasting around two months.[13][14][15][16][17][18]
A renewed survey of the site and its region was conducted from 2002 to 2007 by Eşref Abay of theEge University and new excavations at the site conducted under his direction beginning in 2007.[19] Work continues to thepresent in conjunction withAdnan Menderes University.[20][21][22]
While no epigraphic material has been found as yet, a few seals have been recovered.
The early excavators reported "a row of small houses that had been destroyed by fire", with the champagne-glass pottery. There was also a palace "whose plan suggested ...Knossos", which was cleared out before its destruction:
Outside the palace,
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