Investigation of a group of late chalcolithic period pottery from Kuriki Höyük by archaeometric methods

This study includes the archaeological and archaeometric analysis of a group of Late Chalcolithic Period ceramics recovered from Kuriki Höyük, located near Oymataş village in the central district of Batman Province. Among the ceramics, there are chafftempered ware, mineral-doped (grit-tempered ware) and dark-faced ceramics Dec The aim of this study is to shed light on the ceramic production techniques of the period and the interregional relations of the settlement by examining the ceramic groups in question in terms of technique and form. After all, it became clear that the Kuriki Höyük people were experimenting with new production techniques (such as molds and impellers) when forming ceramics. Medium/dense straw-doped ceramics formed in molds and finely sieved pulped wheel-made ceramics were used together in the Late Chalcolithic layers of Kuriki Mound (GK 2-5=KHIVb1-4), while handmade dark-faced (gray/black) ceramics with coarse stone and plant additives were concentrated in earlier layers (GK 2-3=KHIVb3-4). Hammer Dec Dec bowls (hammerhead bowls), which are among the straw-faced containers, and wide-mouthed, sharp-shouldered casserole-shaped containers (casselores) are among the local production containers of Northern Mesopotamia. The containers in question are important in terms of shedding light on the interregional connections of the Kuriki Mound settlement Dec Another purpose of the study is to try to elucidate the production process such as raw material contents and cooking temperatures of ceramics in accordance with the findings obtained by archaeometric methods. X-ray fluorescence (XRF), x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and petrographic analysis methods were used for archaeometric analyses. Within the scope of the study, after the ceramics were grouped, they were divided into subclasses according to their forms. In addition, the pottery tradition of the Late Chalcolithic Age settlements in the Upper Tigris Valley was compared. Despite the fact that the inhabitants of Kuriki Höyük knew the production of fine wheel-made ceramics from the earliest layer of the settlement, based on archaeological and archaeometric evaluations, they continued to produce straw-faced pottery, defined as medium and coarse ware, throughout the Late Chalcolithic Period. According to the Archaeometric and Archaeological data obtained, it was concluded that the fast rotating wheel was used in the Upper Tigris Valley from the Late Chalcolithic 2.