Zeytinlik Archeological Site

Uğurlu / Zeytinli, located on the western side of Gökçeada in Çanakkale Province, 900 meters east-northeast of Uğurlu Village, is a mound. It is approximately 1,400 meters from Uğurlu Port and 23–24 km from the island’s centre. The area is locally known as Zeytinli Mevkii. The settlement appears as a hillside settlement on the eastern slope of İsa Tepe (Doğanlı Tepe). Based on pottery finds, it is said to spread over an area of 300 x 100 meters. Pottery finds dated to the Neolithic Age are seen in an area of 100 x 100 meters. Uğurlu / Zeytinli is currently the oldest settlement in the Eastern Aegean Islands. It shows a very important position in the transmission of Neolithisation to Europe. It is understood that the earliest settlement began with migration from Anatolia around 6,500 BC. This settlement appears around 5,000 BC as a culture developing independently from Anatolia.

Excavations

The settlement was identified in 1997 during surface surveys conducted by a team led by Savaş Harmankaya from the Department of Prehistory, Istanbul University. Two years later it was re‑investigated during the Gökçeada Surface Surveys. Another examination was carried out in 2008 by the Turkish Archaeological Sites Project. Based on the surface survey finds, it is argued that the site is an important settlement on Gökçeada that, like Yeni Bademli Mound, requires excavation.

Excavation work at the settlement was initiated in 2009 by a decision of the Council of Ministers, under the chairmanship of Burçin Erdoğu from the Department of Archaeology, Trakya University.

Stratigraphy

Neolithic, Early Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age pottery were collected in the surface assemblages.

In the excavations, nine layers have been identified in five main cultural phases. Phase I is represented by Early Bronze Age and Medieval finds that passed through the surface collections. Phase II is the Kumtepe Ia layer dated to 5,000–4,500 BC in Western Anatolia and the Beşik‑Sivritepe Chalcolithic culture. Phase III is the transition from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic period. Phases IV and V are dated to the Neolithic period. Phase IV provides the thickest cultural fill in the settlement. In this phase it is understood that the settlement spread over an area of 6 decares.

Finds

Phase II pottery is similar to the known beaked-handled, open‑rimmed, shallow‑grooved, and three‑legged vessels of the Kumtepe IA and Beşik‑Sivritepe cultures. Phase III pottery, however, shows distinct differences. Red, striped black, and gray ware constitute the main ware group. Lid forms, four‑legged vessels with ear‑like handles, box‑shaped vessels, and button‑shaped handles are distinctive features. Decoration is common. While local characteristics dominate this ware group, pieces characteristic of the Early Vinča and Karanovo III periods of the Balkans are also encountered. Similar pieces have not yet been found in Anatolia.

Phase IV pottery is careful, thin‑rimmed, glossy‑rimmed, and mostly red‑slipped. The common vessel type is S‑profiled, thick‑liped jars. There are vertically placed long tubular perforated handles. Only three pieces are painted. One of them is painted red over white, identical to those found in the Karanovo I culture. The other two are painted black over red and should be local. The general characteristics of this phase’s pottery are similar to Anatolian finds.

Phase V pottery is almost entirely red‑slipped, dark‑faced ware. S‑profiled bowls and dishes, lip‑finished from above, small round tubular handles are characteristic features. Exact analogues of this material group are found in the early wares of Edirne / Hoca Çeşme, and in the Bursa / Aktopraklık and Menteşe settlements.

Pottery finds dated to the Neolithic Age are red and black slipped, well‑opened and thin‑rimmed wares. Brown pieces are also present. A small number of pieces are red and orange‑striped in colour. Small stone and plant temper were used in the doughs. The most common forms are s‑curved, lipged and deep vessels. On the vessels round, crescent‑shaped or tubular perforated handles are observed. These finds show similarity to early Neolithic pottery of western Anatolia and the Lakes Region. They are also considered, after Ayio Gala on Sakız Island, the earliest finds so far.

The lithic industry consists of flint tools. Very few obsidian tools have been recovered. It has been understood that this material also originates from Melos Island and the Güllü Dağı area of Central Anatolia. Primarily a blade industry is observed. In phases II and V and between them there is no distinct difference in the lithic industry. The most densely occurring tool type of phase IV are the large, thick blades known as Karanovo blades, found in Early Neolithic settlements of the Balkans. It is suggested that this flint was brought from the Rhodope Mountains of Thrace, probably processed at the settlement. The most frequently occurring tool type of phase III are drills and scrapers.

Polished stone axes have been found as surtmetaş.

In the Chalcolithic period layer, a structure of approximately 5 x 5 meters was produced with stone material and dry wall technique. At the end of the west wall, which extends in a north‑south direction, it joins a semicircular space probably used as a storage room. The building is surrounded by a courtyard wall made of large stones that forms an arch around the structure. Inside the building were found seven polished axes and chisels, four Spondylus shell bracelets, eleven bone tools, two stone pestles, one clay sling stone, two stone beads, five Cerastoderma species shell necklace pendants, grinding stones, mortar pestles, one figurine head made of clay, and collectively about 130 Muricidae species shells.