User:Morkısır/Can Hassan 3

Can Hasan 3 is a mound situated 12 km northeast of the city center of Karaman, just 1.5 km north of Alaçatı Village (formerly known as Can Hasan). The mound has a diameter of 100 meters and a height of 6 meters. It is noted that 2.25 meters of the cultural stratigraphy are above the level of the plain, while 4.5 meters are below it, with 2.5 meters of this depth being submerged in groundwater. Before being settled, it is understood that the mound was located near the shore of a lake. Research indicates that the surrounding lands of the mound were dominated by a steppe-like fauna.

Can Hasan 3 is one of the trio of mounds known by the same name near Can Hasan Village. Can Hasan 1 is dated to the Chalcolithic Age, while Can Hasan 2 is attributed to the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. The plain where these three mounds are situated is a fertile area not far from the northern slopes of the Taurus Mountains.

Excavations
The excavations at the mound were conducted by the British Institute at Ankara under the leadership of David French in the years 1969-1970.

Stratigraphy
During the excavations at the mound, seven construction phases have been identified dating back to the Pottery-Free Neolithic Age. Additionally, within the surface soil, "very primitive" pottery fragments have been discovered.

Findings
The stone foundation-less structures were often constructed using pisé technique, although the usage of mudbrick can also be observed. Walls and floors were coated with clay plaster. In some walls, red paint, as seen in Boncuklu Höyük, was utilized. The bases of certain structures are very solid and compacted clay, while in others, this clay was mixed with pebbles. Many of these structures are two-roomed, with some featuring doorway passages. These buildings were constructed adjacently around courtyards. Within some of the structures, there are raised platforms, hearths, and in some cases, ovens embedded in the walls

Approximately 70,000 lithic artifacts have been recovered during the excavation efforts, of which 3,500 are tools. The predominant material used is obsidian, with flint being a minority, mainly utilized in the crafting of sickle-knives. Among the findings are polished stone axes, polished beads, and pendants.

The animal remains uncovered during the excavations include cattle, sheep, goats, deer, roe deer, wild donkeys, pigs, rabbits, dogs, wolves, turtles, snakes, birds, small rodents, and fish, with varying frequencies. While the extent of domestication achieved by the settling community remains uncertain, cattle are likely to have been domesticated. On the other hand, it is definitively known that pigs were wild.

It is understood that the settlement engaged in the cultivation and consumption of various plant species. Among these were the wild forms of einkorn wheat, both single-seeded and double-seeded varieties, emmer wheat, two types of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), durum wheat (Triticum durum), rye, hulled and naked barley, lentils, as well as larger legumes. Additionally, nuts like walnuts, pistachios, wild grapes, and numerous other plant species were also consumed.

Evaluation and Dating
The excavation director, David French, dates the settlement to around 6500-6400 BCE. However, the results from radiocarbon dating suggest a range of 7660 to 6610 BCE.