NEOLITHIC POT SHERDS WITH SCHEMATIC HUMANS IN RELIEF FROM KENDALE HECALA IN THE UPPER TIGRIS REGION

Abstract

            Neolithic settlements have been exposed in three mounds to be affected by the dam built on the Ambar Stream, one of the northern branches of the Upper Tigris Valley. In Kendale Hecala, one of these mounds, two vessels with stylized human figures in relief with their hands raised have been recovered. Although vessels decorated with figurative reliefs have been found in various excavations in Anatolia dating to the Neolithic, vessels with human relief decoration have so far not been found in Mesopotamia. The Kendale Hecala finds constitute the first examples of vessels adorned with human and animal figures from the Neolithic settlements to the south of the Taurus Mountains. These schematic human and animal figures preserved on vessel fragments may be related to hunting rituals associated with dances, thought to have been performed before or after hunting.

Keywords

• Upper Tigris,Ambar Çay,Neolithic,Relief Vessels

YUKARI DİCLE HAVZASINDA KENDALE HECALA NEOLİTİK ÇAĞ STİLİZE İNSAN VE KABARTMALI KAP PARÇALARI

Abstract

        Yukarı Dicle vadisinin kuzey kollarından biri olan Ambar Çayı üzerine kurulan barajdan etkilenecek üç höyükte Neolitik Çağ yerleşim katmanları açığa çıkmıştır. Bunlardan birisi olan Kendale Hecala’da ele geçen iki kap parçası üzerinde, ellerini yukarı kaldırmış stilize insan kabartmaları bulunmaktadır. Neolitik Çağda kabartmalı kaplara Anadolu’da çeşitli kazılarda rastlanmış olmakla birlikte, Mezopotamya’da üzerinde insan kabartması bulunan kaplar bilinmemektedir. Kendale Hecala buluntuları, Güneydoğu Toros dağlarının güneyindeki bölgede Neolitik Çağ yerleşimleri arasında kabartmalı insan ve hayvan figürü ile bezeli kapların ilk örneklerini oluşturmaktadır. Kap parçaları üzerinde korunan şematik insan ve hayvan figürlerinin av öncesi ya da sonrasında yapıldığı değerlendirilen danslı av ayinleri ile ilişkili olabileceği düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

• Yukarı Dicle,Ambar Çayı,Neolitik,Kabartmalı Kaplar

Supporting Institution

Kültür Varlıkları ve Müzeler Genel Müdürlüğü, Devlet Su İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü

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