3. Research at Kinet Höyük (1991-2000)
After a regional survey in 1991 (Gates and Özgen 1993), a short first season was carried out in 1992 by M.-H. Gates for Bilkent University and the Hatay Museum. (See Figure 1.) Sondage trenches on the east, north and west sides of the mound uncovered stratified phases from the medieval to the Early Iron Age. Based on this information, larger-scale excavations took place under her direction and Bilkent University's aegis in 1993-1995, and 1997-1999, with a study season in 1996. Excavations continued in 2001 after a study season in 2000. The medieval excavations have been directed by S.N. Redford since 1997. (See Figure 6.)
Architectural levels of the medieval period (12th-14th centuries AD), Iron Age, Middle Bronze (see Figure 2 and Figure 3), and Late Bronze Ages have so far received the most attention: they are often burnt, with finds preserved in situ. The 1992-94 stratigraphic sounding on the west slope of the mound has traced the site's earlier stages, which ceramic finds would extend back to the Neolithic 6th millennium B.C. Finds of all periods illustrate the far-flung economic and social networks in which Kinet participated. Contacts with Cypriots, Hittites (see Figure 4), Canaanites, Mycenaean and Iron Age Greeks, Phoenicians, Assyrians (see Figure 5), Phrygians, Persians and -- finally -- Crusaders are indicated by ceramic and other items, and shipping containers make up a significant proportion of vessels in any phase. The current project represents the first investigations other than survey to have been carried out at this site. Excavations from 1992-94 took place on the mound proper. In 1995, they were extended to the east terrace at the foot of the mound, where a 50 m2 excavation area was expanded in 1997 to 200 m2. In 1999, in addition to excavations on the mound and on the east terrace, the first of several projected soundings was excavated in the field northwest of the mound, to begin mapping the diachronic configurations of the ancient bay and estuary harbors.4. Publications
Season reports and brief summaries:
Gates, M.-H.
1994 "The 1992 Excavations at Kinet Höyük (Dörtyol/Hatay)." Kazi Sonuçlari Toplantisi 15/1: 193-200.
1994 "Archaeology in Turkey." AJA 98: 261.
1995 "Archaeology in Turkey." AJA 99: 227.
1996 "Archaeology in Turkey." AJA 100: 293-94.
1997 "Archaeology in Turkey." AJA 101:253-54.
1999 "1997 Archaeological Excavations at Kinet Höyük (Yesil-Dörtyol, Hatay)." Kazi Sonuçlari Toplantisi 20: 259-81.
2000 "1998 Archaeological Excavations at Kinet Höyük (Yesil-Dörtyol, Hatay)." Kazi Sonuçlari Toplantisi 21 (in press).
[ 2001 "1999 Archaeological Excavations at Kinet Höyük (Yesil-Dörtyol, Hatay)." Kazi Sonuçlari Toplantisi 22]
Gates, M.-H. and Özgen, I.
1993 "Report on the Bilkent University Archaeological Survey in Cilicia and the Northern Hatay (1991)." Arastirma Sonuclari Toplantisi 10: 387-94.
Topical reports:
Gates, C.
1999 "Kinet Höyük 1992-1997: The Achaemenid Persian and Hellenistic Periods." Olba II.2: 323-32.
Gates, M.-H.
1999 "Kinet Höyük in Eastern Cilicia: A Case Study for Acculturation in Ancient Harbors." Olba II.2: 303-12.
[ forthcoming in Varia Anatolica: "Potmarks at Kinet Höyük and the Hittite Ceramic Industry"]
Hodos, T.
2000 "Kinet Höyük and Al Mina: New Views on Old Relationships." Pp.145-52 in Periplous. Papers on Classical Art and Archaeology Presented to Sir John Boardman, ed. by G.R. Tsetskhladze, A.J.N.W. Prag and A.M. Snodgrass. London: Thames and Hudson.
Hynd, A.
1997 A Model of Local Continuity: The 1995 Archaeobotanical Assemblage from Kinet Höyük, Hatay. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, University of Sheffield.
Ozaner, S.
1994 "Dörtyol-Payas (Issos) Ovasy'nda (Antakya) Tarihi Çaglardan Günümüze Süregelen Jeomorfolojik Degisikliklerin Kinet Höyük Üzerindeki Etkileri [Observations on Diachronic Geomorphological Changes in the Dörtyol-Payas (Issos) Plain (Antakya) in the Context of Kinet Höyük]." Arastirma Sonuçlari Toplantisi 12: 513-27.
Songu, F.
1997 Wave-Line Pottery from the Late Iron Age Levels of Kinet Höyük. Unpublished M.A. thesis, Bilkent University.
Steadman, S.
1994 "Prehistoric Sites on the Cilician Coastal Plain: Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age Pottery from the 1991 Bilkent Survey." Anatolian Studies 44: 85-103.