TÜBA-AR
Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi Arkeoloji Dergisi
Turkish Academy of Sciences Journal of Archaeology
Sayı: 21
Volume: 21
2017
TÜBA Arkeoloji (TÜBA-AR) Dergisi
TÜBA-AR uluslararası hakemli bir
dergi olup TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM (SBVT)
ve Avrupa İnsani Bilimler Referans
İndeksi (ERIH PLUS) veritabanlarında
taranmaktadır.
TÜBA Journal of Archaeology
(TÜBA-AR)
TÜBA-AR is an international refereed
journal and indexed in the TUBİTAK
ULAKBİM (SBVT) and The European
Reference Index for the Humanities
and the Social Sciences (ERIH PLUS)
databases.
Sahibi / Owner:
Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi adına
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat ACAR
(Başkan / President)
Sorumlu Yazı İşleri Müdürü
Managing Editor
Prof. Dr. Kenan ÇAĞAN
Basın ve Halkla İlişkiler
Press & Public Relations
Asiye KOMUT
Graik Tasarım / Graphic Design
Fatih Akın ÖZDEMİR
TÜBA-AR İletişim Asistanı
Communication Assistant
Cansu TOPRAK
Baskı: Ses Reklam Paz.Tur.San.Tic.Ltd.Şti.
Tel: 0.312 215 62 00
Sayı: 21/2017 (750 adet)
Basıldığı Tarih: 2017
ISSN: 1301-8566
TÜBA-AR Yazışma Adresi
Correspondence Address
TÜBA İstanbul Ofisi
İTÜ Maçka Yerleşkesi
Yabancı Diller Yüksek Okulu 34367,
Maçka-İSTANBUL
Tel: 0212 219 16 60
Faks: 0212 225 20 66
E-posta: cansu.toprak@tuba.gov.tr
Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi
Turkish Academy of Sciences
Piyade Sokak, No: 27, 06690
Çankaya- ANKARA
Tel: 0312 442 29 03
Faks: 0312 442 72 36
www.tuba.gov.tr
E-posta: tuba-ar@tuba.gov.tr
© Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi, 2017
© Turkish Academy of Sciences, 2017
(All rights reserved.)
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TÜBA-AR YEREL VE SÜRELİ BİR YAYINDIR
Kapak Fotoğrafı
İnsan Yüzü Betimli Çömlek, Hipodrom,
Geç Kalkolitik Çağ (MÖ 4500), Pişmiş Toprak
Şevket DÖNMEZ
TÜBA-AR
TÜRKİYE BİLİMLER AKADEMİSİ ARKEOLOJİ DERGİSİ
TÜBA-AR, Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi (TÜBA) tarafından yıllık olarak yayınlanan uluslararası hakemli bir dergidir. Derginin yayın politikası, kapsamı ve
içeriği ile ilgili kararlar, Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi Konseyi tarafından belirlenen Yayın Kurulu tarafından alınır.
DERGİNİN KAPSAMI VE YAYIN İLKELERİ
TÜBA-AR dergisi ilke olarak, dönem ve coğrai bölge sınırlaması olmadan
arkeoloji ve arkeoloji ile bağlantılı tüm alanlarda yapılan yeni araştırma, yorum, değerlendirme ve yöntemleri kapsamaktadır. Dergi arkeoloji alanında yeni
yapılan çalışmalara yer vermenin yanı sıra, bir bilim akademisi yayın organı
olarak, arkeoloji ile bağlantılı olmak koşuluyla, sosyal bilimlerin tüm uzmanlık
alanlarına açıktır; bu alanlarda gelişen yeni yorum, yaklaşım, analizlere yer veren
bir forum oluşturma işlevini de yüklenmiştir.
Dergi, arkeoloji ile ilgili yeni açılımları kapsamlı olarak ele almak için belirli
bir konuya odaklanmış yazıları “dosya” şeklinde kapsamına alabilir; bu amaçla
çağrılı yazarların katkısının istenmesi ya da bu bağlamda gelen istekler Yayın Kurulu tarafından değerlendirir. Kazı ve yüzey araştırmaları da dahil olmak üzere,
yeni yorum ve açılım getirmeyen, yalnızca malzeme tanıtımı içeren, ön rapor
niteliğindeki yazılar dergi kapsamının dışındadır. Kültür tarihi açısından önemli bir yenilik getiren önemli buluntular “haber” olarak dergiye kabul edilebilir.
Yazarlar dergiye makale gönderdiklerinde, söz konusu yazının daha önce, çeviri
olarak bile başka bir yerde yayımlanmadığını ya da yayımlanmak üzere bir başka
dergiye gönderilmemiş olduğunu kabul etmiş sayılırlar.
TÜBA-AR
TURKISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY
TÜBA-AR is an internationally referenced journal, published annually by the
Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA). Decisions related to the publication policy, the coverage, and the contents of the journal are admitted by the Editorial
Board, formed by the Council of the Turkish Academy of Sciences.
COVERAGE AND PUBLICATION PRINCIPLES OF THE JOURNAL
Principally, the TÜBA-AR journal covers all recent studies, comments, evaluations, and methods in archaeology, and in adjacent areas related to archaeology,
without limitation to any periods or geographic regions. In addition to studies
carried out in the ield of archaeology, as a publication organ of an academy of
science, the journal is open to all professional ields of the social sciences, provided that they are related to archaeology; it has also undertaken the function to
create a forum covering recent interpretations, approaches, and analyses developing in these ields.
The journal may feature writings focused on a speciic subject as a “ile” in order
to comprehensively cover new initiatives related to archaeology; and to this end,
the Editorial Board decides whether contributions of invited writers are required,
or evaluates any requests received in that context. Articles that do not introduce
new interpretations and initiatives, but are rather in the form of a preliminary
report containing only introductions to materials, including archaeological excavations and surface researches, are out of the scope of the journal. Important
indings introducing signiicant innovations in terms of the cultural history can be
accepted as pieces of “news”. When writers send articles to the journal, they are
deemed to have agreed and undertaken that the article in question has not been
published in any other journal, including its translations into any languages, and
that it has not been submitted to any other journal for publication, including its
translations.
TÜBA-AR
Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi Arkeoloji Dergisi
Turkish Academy of Sciences Journal of Archaeology
Kurucu (Founder)
Prof. Dr. Ufuk ESİN
Onursal Yayın Kurulu (Honorary Members of The Editorial Board)
Prof. Dr. Reik DURU - Prof. Dr. Veli SEVİN
Prof. Dr. Harald HAUPTMANN - Prof. Dr. Önder BİLGİ
Yayın Kurulu Başkanı (Editor in Chief)
Prof. Dr. Şevket DÖNMEZ
Editörler (Editors)
Prof. Dr. Musa KADIOĞLU
Doç. Dr. Harun ÜRER
Yrd. Doç. Dr. Haydar YALÇIN
Prof. Dr. Gocha R. TSETSKHLADZE
Yayın Kurulu (Editorial Board)
Prof. Dr. Gülsün UMURTAK Prof. Dr. Mehmet IŞIKLI
Prof. Dr. Aynur ÖZFIRAT Prof. Dr. Şule PFEIFFER-TAŞ
Prof. Dr. Engin AKDENİZ Yrd. Doç. Dr. Fethi Ahmet YÜKSEL
Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Selim ERDAL Yrd. Doç. Dr. Aslıhan YURTSEVER BEYAZIT
Danışma Kurulu (Editorial Advisory Board)
Tarihöncesi Arkeolojisi (Prehistory)
Prof. Dr. Harun TAŞKIRAN Prof. Dr. Metin KARTAL
Prof. Dr. Turan TAKAOĞLU Doç. Dr. Bahattin ÇELİK
Protohistorya ve Önasya Arkeolojisi (Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology)
Prof. Dr. Aliye ÖZTAN Prof. Dr. İbrahim Tunç SİPAHİ
Prof. Dr. Gülsün UMURTAK Prof. Dr. Vasıf ŞAHOĞLU
Prof. Dr. Fikri KULAKOĞLU Prof. Dr. Özlem ÇEVİK
Prof. Dr. Tayfun YILDIRIM Prof. Dr. Mehmet IŞIKLI
Prof. Dr. Aynur ÖZFIRAT Yrd. Doç. Dr. Aslıhan YURTSEVER BEYAZIT
Prof. Dr. S. Yücel ŞENYURT Yrd. Doç. Dr. Çiğdem MANER
Prof. Dr. Engin AKDENİZ
Klasik Arkeoloji (Classical Archaeology)
Prof. Dr. Serra DURUGÖNÜL Prof. Dr. Gürcan POLAT
Prof. Dr. Musa KADIOĞLU Prof. Dr. Ralf von den HOFF
Prof. Dr. Turgut HACI ZEYREK Prof. Dr. Zeynep KOÇEL ERDEM
Prof. Dr. Kutalmış GÖRKAY Prof. Dr. Sümer ATASOY
Prof. Dr. Gül IŞIN Doç. Dr. Veli KÖSE
Prof. Dr. Zeynep ÇİZMELİ-ÖĞÜN Doç. Dr. Daniş BAYKAN
Karadeniz Arkeolojisi (Black Sea Archaeology)
Prof. Dr. Gocha R. TSETSKHLADZE Prof. Dr. Şevket DÖNMEZ
İran – Orta Asya Arkeolojisi (Iran – Central Asia Archaeology)
Prof. Dr. Aiman DOSSYMBAYEVA Doç. Dr. Anıl YILMAZ
Doç. Dr. İbrahim ÇEŞMELİ Doç. Dr. Farshid İRAVANİ GHADİM
Türk - İslam Arkeolojisi (Turkish - Islamic Archaeology)
Prof. Dr. Bozkurt ERSOY
Prof. Dr. Hüseyin YURTTAŞ
Prof. Dr. Kenan BİLİCİ
Dr. Olcay AYDEMİR
Doç. Dr. Harun ÜRER
Yrd. Doç. Dr. Rüstem BOZER
Ortaçağ Arkeolojisi (Medieval Archaeology)
Prof. Dr. Zeynep MERCANGÖZ Doç. Dr. Lale DOĞER
Prof. Dr. Ayşe AYDIN Doç. Dr. V. Macit TEKİNALP
Prof. Dr. Osman ERAVŞAR Doç. Dr. Emel Emine DÖNMEZ
Doç. Dr. Ferudun ÖZGÜMÜŞ Yrd. Doç. Dr. Ahmet Vefa ÇOBANOĞLU
Sualtı Arkeolojisi (Underwater Archaeology)
Yrd. Doç. Dr. Hakan ÖNİZ
Eskiçağ Tarihi (Ancient History)
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Hamdi SAYAR Prof. Dr. Mustafa ADAK
Prof. Dr. Turgut YİĞİT Yrd. Doç. Dr. Bülent ÖZTÜRK
Prof. Dr. Turhan KAÇAR Yrd. Doç. Dr. Salih KAYMAKÇI
Hititoloji (Hittitology)
Prof. Dr. Aygül SÜEL
Doç. Dr. Hasan PEKER
Mısırbilim (Egyptology)
Doç. Dr. Hasan PEKER
Arkeojeoizik (Archaeogeophysics)
Prof. Dr. Selma KADIOĞLU Yrd. Doç. Dr. Fethi Ahmet YÜKSEL
Arkeojeoloji (Archaeogeology)
Prof. Dr. Yusuf Kağan KADIOĞLU
Arkeometalurji (Archaeometallurgy)
Prof. Dr. Ünsal YALÇIN
Arkeozooloji (Archaeozoology)
Prof. Dr. Vedat ONAR Doç. Dr. Levent ATICI
Arkeobotanik (Archaeobotanic)
Doç. Dr. Evangelia PİŞKİN
Antropoloji (Anthropology)
Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Selim ERDAL Doç. Dr. Ömür Dilek ERDAL
Prof. Dr. Ayla Sevim EROL
Sosyoloji (Sociology)
Prof. Dr. Kenan ÇAĞAN
Kültürel Mirasın Korunması / Koruma Amaçlı Planlama
(Protection of Cultural Heritage / Protection Planning Policies and Approaches)
Doç. Dr. Kübra CİHANGİR ÇAMUR
İÇİNDEKİLER / CONTENTS
Şevket DÖNMEZ
Sunu / Presentation ................................................................................................................................... 8
Abdullah HACAR
Possible Links Between the Highland Regions North of the Central
Taurus and West Cappadocia in the Middle Chalcolithic Period (6th and 5th Millennium Bc) ..........................11
Orta Kalkolitik Dönemde Orta Torosların Kuzeyi Dağlık Alan ile
Batı Kapadokya Arasındaki Olası Bağlantılar (MÖ 6.-5. Binyıllar)
Salih KAYMAKÇI
Doğu Karadeniz Bölgesinde Karaz-Erken Transkafkasya Kültürü’ne Ait
Yeni Bir Yerleşim: Alucra-Gavur Kalesi, Giresun ...................................................................................... 25
A New Settlement Belonging to Karaz- Early Transcaucasian
Culture in Eastern Black Sea Region. Alucra-Gavur Kalesi, Giresun
Bülent KIZILDUMAN
Kral Tepesi: Karpaz Yarımadası’nda Bir Geç Tunç Çağı Yerleşimi .......................................................... 35
Kral Tepesi/ Vasili: A Cyprus Late Bronze Age Site at Karpas Penisula
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Eriqua and Minuahinili An Early Iron Age-Nairi Kingdom and
Urartian Province an the Northern Slope of Mt Ağrı
(Settlement Complexes at Melekli and Karakoyunlu) ............................................................................... 63
Eriqua ve Minuahinili Ağrı Dağı’nın Kuzey Eteğinde
Bir Erken Demir Çağ-Nairi Krallığı ve Urartu Eyaleti
(Melekli ve Karakoyunlu Yerleşim Kompleksleri)
Şevket DÖNMEZ
The Protohistoric Times of Istanbul in the Light of New Evidence .......................................................... 93
Yeni Bulgular Işığında İstanbul Öntarihi
Suhal SAĞLAN - Fatma BAĞDATLI ÇAM
Sinope’den Hellenistik Döneme Ait İki Mezar Steli ..................................................................................117
Two Hellenistic Grave Stelae from Sinope
Özgür TURAK
Eski Roma Uygarliği ve Heykel: Yağma – Koleksiyonculuk ................................................................... 135
Ancient Roman Civilization and Sculpture: Plunder and Collectorship
Seda KARAÖZ ARIHAN - Ali Akın AKYOL - İsmail ÖZER - Okan ARIHAN
Elemental Analysis of Beybağ-Muğla (Turkey) Byzantine Skeletons ..................................................... 147
Beybağ-Muğla (Türkiye) Bizans Dönemi İskeletlerinin Element Analizi
Ayşe Tuba ÖKSE
Salat Tepe IV Mevsimlik Barınakları: Yukarı Dicle Havzasında
Orta Çağ ve Sonrasında Göçerler .......................................................................................................... 163
Seasonal Dwellings of Salat Tepe IV: Nomads in the
Upper Tigris Region Since the Middle Age
TÜBA-AR Genel Yazım Kuralları ........................................................................................................... 190
SUNU
1998 yılında ilk sayısıyla yayın hayatına başlayan Türkiye
Bilimler Akademisi Arkeoloji Dergisi TÜBA-AR, 20.
Yaşı ile birlikte yayın periyodunu değiştirerek yılda iki
kez (Haziran - Aralık) yayınlanmaya başlandı. 20. Sayısı
ile Haziran dönemini, incelemekte olduğunuz 21. Sayısı
ile ise Aralık dönemini başarıyla tamamlayan TÜBAAR, yeni sistemi ile her geçen gün artan yayınlanma
talebi baskısı sonucunda yayın kurulumuza gönderilen
makalelerin zamanında basılabilmesi için önemli bir
hamle yapmış bulunmaktadır. Bununla birlikte akademik
süreli yayınların bilim dünyasındaki rolünü titizlikle
takip eden editörler kurulumuz, yeni yayın politikamızın
bu süreçle de uyumlu olduğunu gözlemlemiştir.
Akademik süreli yayın dünyasındaki yenilik ve
gelişmeleri izlemek ve TÜBA-AR’ın yakın gelecekteki
yayın stratejilerini belirlemek amacıyla 2-3 Kasım
2017 tarihleri arasında ulusal ve uluslararası indeks
kurumları ile ilişkilerimizden sorumlu editörümüz Yrd.
Doç.Dr. Haydar Yalçın ile birlikte Ulusal Akademik
Yayıncılık Sempozyumu’na katıldım. Ulusal Akademik
Yayıncılık Sempozyumu’nda özellikle Dergi Park
yapısı hakkında önemli bilgiler verildi. Ulusal atıf
dizini hazırlık çalışmalarının tamamlanmakta olduğu ve
Aralık ayı içerisinde lansmanının yapılacağı bildirildi.
Dergilerin yayın sıklıklarına, İngilizce öz ve anahtar
kelime uygulamalarına dikkat etmeleri gerektiği
belirtildi. İntihal konusunun altı etralıca ve önemle
çizildi. Hakemlik kurumunun doğru ve etik kurallar
çerçevesinde yürütülmesi gerekliliğine vurgu yapılırken,
hakem formlarında mümkün olduğu kadar açık uçlu
sorularla kaliteyi ölçmeye dair soruların yer alması
gerektiği belirtildi. Özellikle Web of Science indekslerine
başvuru süreci hakkında kurumun İspanyol temsilcisi
bilgi verdi. Onaylanmayan başvurulardan sonra üç yıl
boyunca yeniden başvuru yapılamayacağı, kriterlerin
sağlandığından emin olmadan başvuru yapılmaması
gerektiği belirtildi. Makale geliş, kabul ve yayımlanma
tarihlerinin makale son kullanıcı kopyasına eklenmesi
genel prensip olarak kabul edildi. Makalelerin ham
verilerinin paylaşılması konusunda dergi editörlerinin
cesaretlendirici olması gerektiği belirtildi. Diğer yandan
açık erişim politikasının benimsenmesi gerektiği ve bu
bağlamda OpenAir ve Horizontal 2020 gibi çerçeve
programların önerdiği veri paylaşım politikalarına uygun
bir veri politikası belirlenmesi gerektiği aktarıldı.
21. Sayı sürecinde desteklerini her zaman hissettiğimiz
TÜBA Başkanı Prof.Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar’a, Başkan
Danışmanı ve Danışma Kurulu üyemiz Prof. Dr. Kenan
Çağan’a, Editör, Yayın ve Danışma kurullarındaki
değerli hocalarım ile meslektaşlarıma teşekkürlerimi
sunuyorum. 21. Sayının teknik ve bürokratik işlerini
başarı ile tamamlayan Asiye Komut, Fatih Akın Özdemir,
Cansu Toprak ve Filiz Mazlum’a çok teşekkür ederim.
Arkeolojik kazıların sonsuza kadar devam etmesi dileği
ile.
Prof. Dr. Şevket Dönmez
TÜBA-AR Yayın Kurulu Başkanı
PRESENTATION
With it’s 20th volume, Turkish Academy of Sciences
Journal of Archaeology TÜBA-AR, which began
it’s publication life in 1998, changed it’s publication
period (June-December) and started to be published
twice a year. TÜBA-AR, which successfully concluded
it’s June period with 20th and December period with
the 21st volume that you are currently reading, had
made an important move to publish on time the ever
groving number of articles sent to our editorial board
for publishing in daily basis. Additionally our editorial
board which meticulously observes the role of the
periodicals in the scientiic world, has deduced that our
new publication politics is in harmony with this process.
In order to closely observe the innovations and news
in the publication world and to decide the publication
strategies of TÜBA-AR in near future I have attended
the National Academic Publication Symposium in 2-3
November 2017 with our editor, Assoc. Prof. Haydar
Yalçın who is responsible for our communication with
the national and international index organizations. In
National Academic Publication Symposium we have
received important information especially on Dergi
Park framework. It is announced that the national
attribution index is about to be concluded and it is going
to be launched in December. It was indicated that the
journals should be careful on their periodic frequency
and the implication of their English abstracts and
keywords. The issue of plagiarisation has speciically
and thoroughly underlined. While the importance of the
correct and ethical peer review have been emphasized, it
is indicated that in peer review forms should have openended questions in order to qualify the quality of the
articles. Especially the application process of the Web
of Science indexes have been detailed by the Spanish
representative of the organization. It is indicated that
there cannot be another application for three years after
a failed application, so no application should be done
without being sure that it satisies all the criteria. As a
general principle, the inclusion of the arrival, acceptance
and publication dates of the article to the inal copy
of the article is accepted. It is also indicated that the
Journal Editors should be encouraged to share the raw
data of the articles. On the other hand, the necessity of
an open access policy is underlined and in this context
the need of deciding on a data policy matching the data
sharing policies offered by framework programs such as
OpenAir and Horizontal 2020.
I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar,
Chairman of Turkish Academy of Sciences and Prof. Dr.
Kenan Çağan, Chairman Advisor and the member of our
Advisory Board whose support we constantly have felt,
and the esteemed mentors and colleagues of the Editorial,
Publication and Advisory boards for their support in the
publication of the 21st Volume. I would also like to thank
Asiye Komut, Fatih Akın Özdemir, Cansu Toprak and
Filiz Mazlum for successfully concluding the technical
and bureaucratic work on the 21st volume. With our
sincere wishes that the archaeological excavations to
continue forever.
Prof. Dr. Şevket Dönmez
TÜBA-AR Chairman of the Editorial Board
TÜBA-AR 21/2017
ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON
AGE-NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE
ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
(SETTLEMENT COMPLEXES AT MELEKLI AND KARAKOYUNLU)
ERİQUA VE MİNUAHİNİLİ: AĞRI DAĞI’NIN KUZEY ETEĞİNDE
BİR ERKEN DEMİR ÇAĞ-NAİRİ KRALLIĞI VE URARTU EYALETİ
(MELEKLİ VE KARAKOYUNLU YERLEŞİM KOMPLEKSLERİ)
Makale Bilgisi
Başvuru: 11 Ekim 2017
Hakem Değerlendirmesi: 23 Ekim 2017
Kabul: 4 Aralık 2017
DOI Numarası: 10.22520/tubaar.2017.21.004
Article Info
Received: October 11, 2017
Peer Review: October 23, 2017
Accepted: December 4, 2017
DOI Number: 10.22520/tubaar.2017.21.004
Aynur ÖZFIRAT *1
Keywords: Mt Ağrı, Minuahinili, Eriqua, Nairi, Late Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, Urartu, Eastern Anatolia,
Southern Transcaucasia, Northwestern Iran
Anahtar Kelimeler: Ağrı Dağı, Minuahinili, Eriqua, Nairi, Son Tunç Çağ, Erken Demir Çağ, Urartu, Doğu
Anadolu, Güney Kafkasya, Kuzeybatı İran
ABSTRACT
Highland of eastern Anatolia, southern Transcaucasia and northwestern Iran were divided among a great number of
local polities in the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age (c. 1600-900 BC). By the change of political power, regional landscape
previously consisted of small local polities largely transformed into a province of the kingdom of Urartu (Middle
Iron Age, c. 900-600 BC). The Urartian conquest of the Araxes valley-Mt Ağrı region began the earlier stage of the
kingdom. Some of the sites that we investigated in the region show a developed and complex system. These settlement
complexes were located in central area of geographical units. Each of the them covers interrelated units in a vast
*
Prof. Dr., Mardin Artuklu Üniversitesi, Edebiyat Fakültesi, Arkeoloji Bölümü, Kampüs Yerleşkesi, Diyarbakır Yolu 5. Km, Artuklu-Mardin. E-mail: aynurozirat@gmail.com
64
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
area within a long time period. The most remarkable settlement complexes of Mt Ağrı are Melekli, Karakoyunlu and
Bozkurt can be consider as urban and administrative centres of Early Iron Age (pre-Urartian) and Urartian. South
of the Araxes river was land of Erikua-Ireku-Irkuahi, inscriptions of king Minua refer to conquest of Luhiuni which
was the capital of Eriqua. Luhiuni, the royal city of Early Iron Age kingdom Erikua; and Minuahinili, new fortress of
Urartu and Haldi Temple which was built afterwards by king Minua, must be in the settlement complexes at Melekli
and Karakoyunlu (Iğdır) on the northern slope of Mt Ağrı (Iğdır plain-south of the Araxes valley). Bozkurt settlement
complex located in the southern part of mountain (Doğubayazıt plain) must also be considered in this frame.
ÖZET
Son Tunç-Erken Demir Çağı’nda (ykl. MÖ 1600-900) Doğu Anadolu yüksek yaylası, Güney Kafkasya ve Kuzeybatı
İran çok sayıda yerel politik güç arasında bölünmüştü. Siyasi gücün değişmesiyle, öncesinin küçük yerel yönetim
birimleri çoğunlukla Urartu Krallığı’nın (Orta Demir Çağ, ykl. MÖ 900-600) eyaletlerine dönüştü. Aras Vadisi-Ağrı
Dağı bölgesine ilk fetihler Urartu Krallığı’nın erken döneminde başlamıştır. Bölgede yaptığımız araştırmalarda
belirlediğimiz bazı yerleşimler gelişmiş ve kompleks bir yerleşim sistemi gösterirler. Bu yerleşim kompleksleri
coğrai birimlerin merkezi noktalarında yer alır. Her biri, geniş alanlar içinde, birbirleriyle ilişkili ve uzun bir
zaman dilimi içine yayılmış ayrı birimlerden oluşur. Ağrı Dağı’nın en dikkat çekici yerleşim kompleksleri olan
Melekli, Karakoyunlu ve Bozkurt Erken Demir Çağ (pre-Urartu) ve Urartu Krallığı’nın büyük kentleri ve idari
merkezleri olarak düşünülebilir. Erken Demir Çağı’nda Aras Nehri’nin güneyi Erikua-Ireku-Irkuahi ülkesiydi, Kral
Minua’nın yazıtlarında Eriqua başkenti Luhiuni’nin fethi anlatılır. Erken Demir Çağ krallığı Eriqua’nın krali kenti
Luhiuni ile sonrasında Kral Minua tarafından yeni kurulan ve bir Haldi Tağınağı’nın da inşa edildiği Urartu kalesi
Minuahinili sırasıyla Ağrı Dağı’nın kuzey eteğindeki (Iğdır Ovası-Aras Nehri’nin güneyi) Melekli ve Karakoyunlu
(Iğdır) yerleşim komplekslerindedir, dağın güney eteğindeki (Doğubayazıt Ovası) Bozkurt yerleşim kompleksi de bu
çerçevede değerlendirilmelidir.
65
ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Late Bronze-Early Iron Age (LBA-EIA, c. 1600-900
BC) of the highlands of eastern Anatolia, southern
Transcaucasia and northwestern Iran are characterized
by small independent polities named Nairi and Uruatri
by Assyrian and Urartian texts. According to these
epigraphic sources, pre-Urartian landscape appears
to have been divided amongst numerous small local
kingdoms or polities. By the change of political power,
regional landscape previously consisted of small local
polities largely transformed into a province of Urartian
empire (Middle Iron Age, MIA, c. 900-600 BC). The
Urartian conquest of the Araxes valley-Mt Ağrı region
began the earlier stage of the kingdom. In the early ninth
century BC, Ishpuni and Minua, kings of Urartu, extended
the borders of the kingdom from the upper Euphrates
to the western shore of Lake Urmia, their campaign
reached to the shore of Lake Sevan in the north. In spite
of existence in the north of the Araxes valley since the
reign of King Ishpuini (830-810 BC), the Urartians did
not occupy southern Transcaucasia until the reign of
King Argishti I (785/80-756 BC). Military conquests of
King Argishti I, encouraged by Argishtihinili fortress,
construction in the north of the Araxes river (Ararat plain)
and the region integration as a province of the kingdom.
However, the Urartians occupied deinitively the region
of Mt Ağrı (Iğdır plain-south of the Araxes valley) just
after the earliest campaigns to southern Transcaucasia
which carried out by Ishpuini and Minua. The new
fortress-city at Minuahinili on the northern slope of Mt
Ağrı was established as a primary administrative center
when the land of Eriqua captured by King Minua. With
the foundation of Minuaihinili, the kingdom of Urartu
became the sole political authority on the south of the
Araxes river and Mt Ağrı region, and was dominated the
gateways to the southern Transcaucasia-northwestern
Iran and rather fertile Igdır plain.
In general, it appears that area of pre-Urartian landscape
had a common culture and there were numerous polities
which could be named fortress-state, city-state, small
kingdom, chiefdom and regional confederacies in tribal
structure. Written sources also give information about
countries, cities, fortresses and people of these territorial
highland polities of pre-Urartian landscape. Political
intensiication of these LBA-EIA highland state formation
was marked by the appearance of local states based in
fortresses and fortress-settlements following a long
period of pastoral life, a few settlement and numerous
big and wealthy kurgans of mobile communities of
Middle Bronze Age (MBA). Our knowledge on the
territories of these local states or small kingdoms in
eastern Anatolia is extremely limited; it is only possible
to localize some of them under general terms. It looks
that the areas they controlled were mostly limited with
geographical units like a valley or a plain which was
isolated with mountains. Settlement complexes and a
large number of LBA-EIA well preserved fortresses and
their cemeteries located in the highlands and foothills
surrounding of Mt Ağrı, including the Lake Van basin
have been recorded in our investigation which is also the
case in southern Transcaucasia and northwestern Iran.
Rocky hills on foothills or highlands have clearly played
a special role in the construction of landscape at that
time producing of territory planning and control. One of
the most remarkable characteristics of this period is the
fortresses-cemeteries in great numbers which situated
on the defensible hilltops. The most striking features of
these fortresses are inaccessibility, irregular architectural
plan based on topographic contours, cyclopean walls1 and
large cemeteries, located on skirts of the hills and directly
connected with contemporary fortresses. The cemeteries
which are located in the major fortresses or settlement
complexes contain over one hundred graves. Kurgans
and kromlechs are the most common grave type, taking
the place of large kurgans of the MBA.
One of the EIA kingdoms in the highland of eastern
Anatolia which was mentioned in the inscriptions of King
Minua was the land of Erikua-Ireku-Irkuahi located in the
north of Mt. Ağrı (Iğdır plain-south of the Araxes valley)2
(Figs. 1-2). Igdır plain is the most fertile area of eastern
Anatolia, and it is the entry point of southern Transcaucasia
and northwestern Iran through the Araxes river southwards.
In actual fact, Igdır plain is a lat area in the Araxes valley
that is between two highest volcanoes in the Near East. This
low plain is surrounded by Mt Aragats (Mt Alagöz, 4094
m) in the north, and Mt Ağrı (5123 m) in the south. The
section of this plain located in Turkey where the Araxes
river lows in the middle is called Igdır plain or SürmeliAras Çukuru, and the section located in Armenia is called
Ararat or Erivan-Revan plain. The Igdır plain seems like
an oasis in the eastern Anatolia with its 800 m average
elevation on the northern slope of Mt Ağrı which is the
lowest terrain in the region, its mild climate, and depending
on this, with its agricultural production. It is ecologically
diverse ranging from the Mediterranean climate to the
1
2
Term of ‘Cyclopic fortress’ generally means fortiications built
with irregular and huge stone blocks, but the term is not quite
right for the most of the LBA-EIA fortresses although it is used
in this article because of the general use. Mostly, the stones of
fortress walls are not very large, it seems that may be earlier
fortresses (LBA) built with very large blocks, but it is dificult
to deine because of the lack of excavations in the eastern Anatolia. The term of ‘Cyclopic fortress’ is here used to indicate
forts, fortresses and fortiied settlements built on hilltops, irregular plans which is terrain dependent, dry masonry and uncut
or roughly shaped stones. This type of masonry contrast with the
ashlar or semi-ashlar masonry used in the construction of later
fortresses in the Middle Iron Age-Urartu. Second, EIA fortresses
have not projections on the walls, such as buttresses or towers
except for some late examples which is irregular design.
Özfırat 2005; Sevin 2005; Salvini 2002; Salvini 2006.
66
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Figure 1: Mt Ağrı Settlement Complexes / Ağrı Dağı Yerleşim Kompleksleri
67
ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 2: Melekli and Karakoyunlu Settlement Complexes / Melekli ve Karakoyunlu Yerleşim Kompleksleri
68
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
highlands of mountains. Mt Ağrı is also virtually the most
important point in eastern Anatolia in a strategic sense. It is
on the gateways of Caucasia and Iran is surrounded by the
Iğdır plain and primary road of southern Transcaucasia in
the north; Doğubayazıt plain and one of the main roads to
northwestern Iran and to the Upper Euphrates valley by the
Murat river valley in the south.
Some of the sites that we investigated show a developed and
complex system3. Central fortresses or settlement complexes
that cover long periods, along with citadels, lower cities,
cemeteries and mounds, suggest that the region was divided
into numerous small units ruled by a central city. These
fortiied-cities or central fortresses of the small independent
polities of pre-Urartian (LBA-EIA) and Urartian (MIA)
were mostly located to be part of in the large settlement
complexes in continuity. The most remarkable settlement
complexes of Mt Ağrı, Melekli (Iğdır), Karakoyunlu (Iğdır)
and Bozkurt (Doğubayazıt) can be considered as urban
centers of pre-Urartian and Urartian in the region (Figs.
1-4). They were also formed with some permanent and
seasonal settlements and smaller fortresses in various size
and function around them.
ERIKUA AND MINUAHINILI
Urartian inscriptions mentioning the Araxes valley describe
a number of local polities informing the names of countries
and their cities, such as, northwest of the valley was Aza;
west of Lake Sevan was Etiuni; northeast of valley was
Ulua land and its city Dara (Elar); south of valley was the
land of Erikua-Ireku-Irkuahi (Fig 1).
The Urartian kings tried to take control of the Araxes
valley and southern Transcaucasia from the beginning. It
appears that King Ishpuini (830-810 BC) gave a start to
its imperial expansion and reorganization of the country.
Military expansions during co-regency of Ishpuini and
Minua reached to the shores of Lake Sevan and Urmia. In a
short time after these earliest campaigns, King Minua (8103
Settlement complexes were major sites in the region. Our survey
and excavation in the Lake Van basin and Mt Ağrı region has revealed that settlement complexes were located in central geographical areas, which where favourably located for agriculture,
pastures, highland routes, trade routes etc. Each of them covers
separate units related to each other such as mounds, cemeteries,
lower cities and fortresses, spreading over a wide area with a horizontal stratigraphy covering a long chronological sequence, from
the Late Chalcolithic Period to the Middle Iron Age (Urartu) or
the Late Iron Age (Achaemenid), except for an interruption in the
Middle Bronze Age (MBA). Actually, this settlement pattern which was characteristic for the highland of eastern Anatolia, southern Transcaucasia and northwestern Iran demonstrate a quite
different model in contradistinction to those of the central area of
Near East. It seems that, settlement system of Caucasia needs to
be discussed and redeined as shown by recent work in the region.
785/780 BC) focused his attention to the Araxes valley.
Minua started to expand into southern Transcaucasia on the
northern slope of Mt. Ağrı. He campaigned against the land
of Erikua, and conquered Luhiuni which was the royal city
of Eriqua, and afterwards, this conquest was consolidated
by the construction of fortress of Minuahinili which was on
the southern bank of the Araxes river. Thus, northern part
of Mt Ağrı or south of the Araxes valley were included to
Urartian territory4.
Inscriptions of the Eriqua campaign of King Minua which
also contains the capture of the royal city of Luhiuni and
foundation of the new Urartian fortress of Minuahinili
was found in the fortresses at Karakoyunlu and vicinity
of Bulakbaşı. The study on the ind spots of these three
inscriptions which was found in the area was done by
A. A. Ivanovskij and M. V. Nikol’skij, irst researchers
to make a systematic investigation here in 1893-18945.
Because of the research area including Karakoyunlu and
Bulakbaşı villages was within the boundaries of town of
Taşburun (Iğdır province) in the mentioned date, fortresses
and inscriptions were named as Taşburun (Figs. 2, 15)6.
Confusion about these inscription apart from the name
issue, is related with the ind spots. Actually, except from
the rock-cut inscription found on the slope of the fortresses
at Karakoyunlu, the location of other two which is known
as Bulakbaşı is uncertain. Because of this uncertainty (see
fn 7-8), we preferred to use name of Taşburun which is the
numbers and locations given by Nikol’skij.
The conquest of Eriqua is mentioned in the rock-cut
inscription, found on the northern skirt of the fortresses
at Karakoyunlu (Figs. 4, 10), Taşburun No. I7:
4
5
6
7
Özfırat (in press).
The inscriptions were studied by Nikol’skij, during investigations
of A. A. Ivanovskij and M. V. Nikol’skij in eastern Anatolia on
behalf of the Moskva Archaeological Society, Nikol’skij 1896:
14-30; Lehmann-Haupt 1910: 169-171; Ivanovskij 1911: 36-59.
Ivanovskj and Nikol’skij did not publish any indings from the
Karakoyunlu and Bulakbaşı excavations and survey, and since
the photographs and plans are extremely limited, we do not have
enough information about the dating, architectural features, functions etc. of the structures that were investigated by Ivanovskj.
All the settlements examined on the northern slope of Mt. Ağrı
were described and named taking Taşburun town as the central
point. Karakoyunlu name is used once, Bulakbaşı or Başbulak
name is used because of the lake there. Two fortresses are mentioned in Karakoyunlu, and three on the shore of Lake Bulakbaşı (Fig. 15). Thereof, fortresses at Karakoyunlu and Bulakbaşı
was frequently recorded as Taşburun, and as Tsolakert, Solagert,
Zolakert and Çölegert in other versions. Taşburun is connected
to Karakoyunlu district today, but before it was the opposite,
Karakoyunlu was connected toTaşburun. Karakoyunlu fortress
II is also named as Mağaralar Mevkii due to Urartian rock-cut
tomb there, so we used this name in our irst reports.
Nikol’skij 1896: No I, 16, 22-27, Tafel III-IV; Vorderasiatisches
Museum, Berlin, the rock-cut inscription at the point where the
Karakoyunlu fortresses connect with the plain. According to the
69
ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 3: Melekli Settlement Complex / Melekli Yerleşim Kompleksi
70
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Figure 4: Karakoyunlu Settlement Complex / Karakoyunlu Yerleşim Kompleksi
71
ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
“The god Haldi started excursion with his own spear.
He conquered Erikuahi land, and took the city of
Luhiuni. They made (them) obey in front of Minua. The
god Haldi is strong, and the spear of the god Haldi is
strong. With the strength of the god Haldi; Minua, son
of Ishpuini, started his excursion. The god Haldi went
in the front line.
Minua said: (The god Haldi) came to Erikuahi land.
The god Haldi gave royal city of Luhiuni, which was
never conquered before, to Minua, son of Ishpuini.
I conquered the city of Luhiuni. I granted the city of
Luhiuni (in return for) payment of tribute.
Minua said: Whoever destroys this inscription, whoever
commits a crime, whoever makes any other person
commit these crimes (or) whoever says something
different, that is, “I conquered Luhiuni”, the god Haldi,
the god Teisheba, the god Shivini (and all gods) deprive
him from sunlight.”
In Körzüt, which is a repetition of the previous
inscription, the list of war spoils are given, and it
is mentioned that the women from the royal city of
Luhiuni were moved to the harem in Tushpa8.
The foundation of Minuahinili is mentioned in the
inscriptions of Taşburun No II-III.
Taşburun No II9:
“With the might of the god Haldi, Minua established
this place, the land of Irkua of Minua ( ). He built a
Haldi gate and a fortress in a perfect style.
Minua said: I established … I built …”
8
9
Nikol’skij photographs, this inscription is on the northern slope
of fortress what we call Karakoyunlu III and on the rocks overlooking the valley. The ind spot of this inscription is recorded
as Solagert fortress in Payne 2006: 5.1.3; Tsolakert-Taşburun
(Iğdır) in Salvini 2008 (CTU): A5-1.
In the inscription of Susi Temple of the fortress at Körzüt (in
Muradiye plain at the northeastern shore of Lake Van) in which
the northern campaigns of King Minua were mentioned, Payne
2006: 5.1.4-5.1.6; Salvini 2008 (CTU): A52A-F.
Nikol’skij 1896: No II, 17-18, 28-29, Tafel V; History Museum of Armenia, Yerevan, this inscription is on a stone block,
found at the home of a hard ware store owner in Taşburun town.
The exact ind spot is unknown, the villagers described that they
found this inscription from the medieval city on the plain east of
the lake near the Urartian fortresses (Bulakbaşı 1-4 ) on the slope
of Mt Ağrı and shores of Lake Bulakbaşı. Although Ivanovskj
made extensive excavations in the medieval city of Bulakbaşı in
1893-1894, he did not ind any evidence of earlier periods (Fig.
15 map, probably settlement of Taşburun), (Ivanovskij 1911:
38-52). The ind spot of this inscription is recorded as Solagert
fortress (Eçmiazin) in Payne 2006: 5.3.12; Tsolakert-Taşburun
and Mağaralar Mevkii (Iğdır) in Salvini 2008 (CTU): A5-27.
Taşburun No III10:
“Minua, son of Ishpuini, established this building in a perfect
style, and built a fortress to the god Haldi in a perfect style. He
named (this place) as ‘Minuahinili’. Minua, son of Ishpuini,
the mighty king, is the hero of the City of Tushpa, and the
king of the Biainili land, with the greatness of the god Haldi.”
Luhiuni, the royal city of Kingdom of Erikua; and
Minuahinili, the new fortress of Urartu which was built
afterwards, must be situated in the settlement complexes
at Melekli (Luhiuni) and Karakoyunlu (Minuahinili),
(Figs 1-4). Actually, both were local LBA-EIA cities, one
of them was at Melekli-Kasımtığı (Luhiuni) and the other
was at Karakoyunlu fortress I, probably a smaller city of
Eriqua. Melekli and Karakoyunlu settlement complexes
are located on the northern slope of Mt Ağrı where lava
low join the Iğdır plain-Araxes valley, covering a long
time span from the Late Chalcolithic (LC) to the Late
Iron Age (LIA-Achaemenid) except for an interruption in
the MBA which is represented by very few sherds. Right
in front of them, lie the fertile lands of the plain, and the
main routes of southern Transcaucasia and northwestern
Iran via the Araxes river valley.
Luhiuni must be the large fortress-settlement at
Kasımtığı-Gre Herşe fortresses which is located in
Melekli settlement complex (Figs. 1-3, 5-6). Showing
the characteristics of a large fortress-city, it spreads to an
extremely wide area dimension of nearly 4 km; and was
the largest settlement in the region with its central area
surrounded by fortiication walls, fortresses on the very
high hills overlooking the plain, lower city and a vast
cemetery. There is an ancient lake at the western end of
the city (Figs. 2, 5). The walls of the citadels which have
irregular plans based on topography were made of uncut
or roughly shaped stones; and the square-rectangular
buildings were built on the slopes in the contour of
terraces. Long ramps extending from citadels stretch to
the southern sides of the fortresses (Figs 7-9). Two forts
are situated in the southern and northwestern borders
of the city, the forts at Hazine Tepe and KarakoyunluKasımtığı are located on extremely high and sharp hills
overlooking all the valley and plain (Figs 2-3, 5-6, 9).
The central area and the citadel of the city is located on
Gre Herşe fortress (Figs 2-3, 5-7, 9). It is situated on
the highest hill of the city with its buildings on terraces
(Fig 7). Lower city fortiication walls which lies on the
southern slope of the fortress is at the length of nearly 3
km (Fig 5, 7). This wall is 2.5 m in thickness, and 2 m
10
Nikol’skij 1896: 16-17, 29-30, No III, this inscription couldn’t
be found. Nikol’skij studied this inscription from a photograph
found in Archbishop Mesrop in Taşburun town. The ind spot of
this inscription is recorded as Başbulak in Payne 2006: 5.3.13;
Başbulak-Bulakbaşı (Taşburun, Iğdır) in Salvini 2008 (CTU):
A5-26.
72
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Figure 5: Melekli-Luhiuni / Melekli-Luhiuni
73
ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 6: Melekli-Luhiuni / Melekli-Luhiuni
74
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
height of it has been preserved. It surrounds the lower
hills and lat areas in the southern and eastern part of the
fortress. Kasımtığı fortress situated on the high hill which
is northern part of central area, it might be a separate
point in the northern border of the city (Fig 2-3, 5-6, 8-9).
There are some parts of a long and thick wall that might
belong to the city wall on a lower hill in the western slope
of Kasımtığı fortress.
Cemetery of site contains hundreds of kurgans and
kromlekhs spread over all the lat places and lower lava
hills around Melekli settlement complex (Figs 2-3, 5-6)
which has pottery from the MBA to the LBA-EIA. It
spreads extending to Hanago-Gölüstü mound to the south,
and Deliktaş mound-Kurtbucağı to the north, these are
large kurgans, differing from the ones in between fortresses
(Figs. 2-3, 5), no pottery have been found in these large
kurgans. Among the kurgans in the city, the largest one
located between the Kasımtığı and Gre Herşe fortresss on
a high hill (Örgülü Tepe) overlooking the whole Araxes
valley differs from the rest because of its size and location
(Figs. 2-3, 5-6, 8). There is a large kurgan in the middle of
a platform (60 x 60 m) with terraces on the hill.
Luhiuni, the capital of Erikua was the political center of
the region of Mt Ağrı-southern bank of the Araxes river
in pre-Urartu. The localization of LBA-EIA settlement at
Melekli-Kasımtığı with Luihuni evidenced by the remains
of largest fortiied-city in the region, and by its architecture
which has irregular plan based on topography were made
of uncut or roughly shaped stones and by the remains of
extensive cemetery and its pottery both fortresses and
cemetery belongs to LBA-EIA aside from a few MBA
from graves and its geographical location and its closeness
to Minuahinili.
plan is not clear, spans c. 3 km with a citadel, lower city
and a large cemetery (Figs. 2, 4, 10). Citadel consists of
new Urartian Fortress (Fortress II) and a LBA-EIA fortress
(Fortress I). Both fortresses situated over three separate hills
overlooking the plain were surrounded by about 1 km long
wall with its fragments can be seen. The lower city must
have been existed in the plain, starting from right on the
slope of the citadel where the inscription of King Minua to
the Koruktepe mound. Since this area is within the borders of
the modern city and the farmland we couldn’t determine the
remains and boundaries of the city, but Koruktepe mound in
within modern Karakoyunlu evidences that the city expands
to this point. The LBA-EIA fortress at Karakoyunlu (fortress
I), which is situated on the high hill overlooking the plain,
shows an irregular plan that was created by the topography
(Figs 10-11), its pottery is also typical for the period. The
Urartian fortress (Karakoyunlu fortress II) located on the
opposite lower hill stretching the plain12. On a third hill
adjacent to these, Karakoyunlu fortress III has thick Middle
Age layer and an Urartian rock-cut tomb on the eastern side
(Fig. 10)13. Except for some sherds, it is dificult to obtain
information about the levels because of the intense layer of
Middle Age on it, but, some of the wall pieces related to the
Urartian architecture are apparent.
Karakoyunlu fortress II (Minuahinili) shows the
characteristics of Urartu by its architecture and pottery.
Semi-ashlar masonry was used in the construction
of the walls with buttresses (Figs 10, 12). Fortress is
450 meters long and consists of two separate sections
with differing elevations14. The Upper part has 250 m
Minuahinili is located in Karakoyunlu settlement complex
nearly 4 km away from Melekli to the east, closer to the
Araxes river (Figs. 1-2, 4). The fortress-city at Minuahinili
which was named after King Minua, was established on a
lower hill stretching on the plain11. The city, although its
11
Contrary to the settlement system of pre-Urartian on the highlands and inaccessible hills, Urartian sites were built at much
lower elevations, on the lower hills stretching the plains and
valleys. In fact, settlement pattern of Urartu were based on controlling primarily roads, valleys-plains and other fertile lands for
agriculture. It seems that, pre-Urartian settlement pattern and socio-economic structure one way or another survived, except for
eastern and northern sides of the Lake Van basin which is central
area of the kingdom and in the Urmia plain, along with the fortresses-cemeteries of the highlands. A great number of pre-Urartian fortresses continued into the Urartian period, in some cases
minor changes are visible. The Urartian administrative centers
which were founded on the borders of the kingdom combined
local and Urartian architectural features.These fortress-cities or
capitals of LBA-EIA were transformed into provincial or major
12
13
14
cities of Urartu, such as, Gavar-Khaldi, Tsovinar-Teishebaini,
Tsovak, Lchashen, Arghuyti Dash, Horom, Aramus, Shisheh
and Seqindel-Libliuni. Badalyan/Avetisyan 2007; Badalyan, R.
S./Kohl, L. P./Kroll, S.1997; Badalyan/Kzlyan/Iskra/Mikalyelyan/Kyureghan 2016; Badalyan/Mikalyelyan/Kyureghan/Iskra/
Hovsepyan/Nahapetyan/Yeghiazaryan 2017; Baxşeliyev 2002;
Bakhshaliyev/Marro 2009; Biscione 2002; Biscione 2003; Biscione 2009; Biscione 2012; Biscione/Dan 2011; Biscione/Dan
2012; Biscione 2012; Hammer 2014; Heinsch, S./Kuntner, W./
Avetisyan, H. 2012; Hmayakyan 2010; Kerimov 2003; Khanzaq, B. R./Biscione, R./Hejebri-Nobari, A. R./Salvini, M.
2001; Kleiss/Kroll 1980; Kohl/Kroll 1999; Kroll 2005; Kroll
2011; Kroll 2012; Narimanishvili 2012; Narimanishvili 2016;
Özfırat 2009; Özfırat 2013; Özfırat 2014b; Özfırat 2015; Özfırat
2016; Özfırat 2017a; Özfırat 2017b; Rasuloglu 1993; Reinhold
2016; Ristvet, L./Bakhshaliyev, V./Gopnik, H./Ashurov, S. H.
2013; Sanamyan 2002; Sevin 2005; Sevin 2006; Sevin 2014;
Shanshashvili/Narimanishvili 2013; Smith 1999; Smith 2003;
Smith 2012; Smith/Badalyan/Avetisyan 2009.
Ivanovskj and Nikol’skij mention two fortresses in Karakoyunlu, according to their descriptions, they must have made a small
excavation in 1893 at the place we call Karakoyunlu II (Ivanovskj 1911: 37-38).
Çevik 2000: No 18.
This must be the hill where A. A. İvanovkiy and M. V. Nikol’skij
excavated, yet there weren’t enough information from this shortterm excavation, since it includes only one structure, Ivanovskij
1911: 37-38; Nikol’skij 1896: 16, 22-27.
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ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 7: Melekli-Luhiuni: Gre Herşe Fortress, Lower City Walls / Melekli-Luhiuni: Gre Herşe Kalesi, Aşağı Kent
Surları
76
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Figure 8: Melekli-Luhiuni: Kasımtığı Fortress, Örgülütepe Kurgan / Melekli-Luhiuni: Kasımtığı Kalesi, Örgülütepe
Kurganı
77
ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 9: Melekli-Luhiuni Forts / Melekli-Luhiuni Kuleler
78
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Figure 10: Karakoyunlu-Minuahinili / Karakoyunlu-Minuahinili
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ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 11: Karakoyunlu-Minuahinili: Fortress I, Citadel South Gate and Wall / Karakoyunlu-Minuahinili: Kale I,
Sitadel Güney Kapısı ve Duvarı
80
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Figure 12: Karakoyunlu-Minuahinili: Fortress II / Karakoyunlu-Minuahinili: Kale II
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ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 13: Bulakbaşı Fortress 2 and General View of Fortress 4 / Bulakbaşı Kale 2 ve Kale 4 Genel Görünüm
82
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
length and 70 m width with rectangular plan, the second
part adjacent to the plain below has an irregular plan
matching the topography with 200 meters of length. At
the highest point, there is the Haldi temple with a square
plan (4.00 x 3.5 m) as mentioned in the inscriptions of
Minua: ‘… and built a fortress to the god Haldi in a
perfect style ...’, ‘… He built a Haldi gate and a fortress
in a perfect style …’.
The fragments of wall surrounding the citadel can be
traced to south and east. The gate to the cemetery in
the south of the fortresses and the wall going to the
east and wall pieces between the two fortresses in the
north, level of the plain should belong to the wall of the
citadel. The early fortress (I) in the west appears to have
been reconstructed by the Urartians, and should have
required this arrangement, since it is already at the western
end of Minuahinili (fortress II). In this case, the citadel
of the city appears to have been surrounded by a wall in
much lower other directions, except for the western side
which is a steep hill where the fortress I is located. In
the south, the gate towards the cemetery indicates that
it is a strong wall. We could not ind any information
on whether the walls surrounding the citadel continued
north to the lower city, since dense farming took place
today at Iğdır plain. Karakoyunlu settlement complex has
a large cemetery consisting of great numbers of graves,
some Urartian chamber graves, mostly low kurgans and
kromlekhs on the lower lava hills and the lat areas south
of the fortresss in which the pottery of a few MBA, a
great number of LBA-EIA and a number of MIA-Urartu
have been found.
Localization of the Karakoyunlu Fortress II with the
fortress-city of Minuahinili, besides the discovery
of rock-cut inscription of King Minua there and its
geographical location, was by far the largest fortiied site
and principal Urartian fortress on the northern side of Mt
Ağrı. Karakoyunlu Fortress II is distinguished from the
others in the region by its attentive architecture and Haldi
temple, its graves and its classical Urartian pottery15.
The Urartian settlement at the Karakoyunlu complex
demonstrate city characteristic; a citadel surrounded by
a wall which seems to enclose all three fortress, a large
cemetery spread over a wide area between the lava hills
in the south, together with a lower city located on the
plain in the north constitute the units of the city.
1-2). They appear as various units supporting the
administrative center: The fortresses at Bulakbaşı 2 and 4
near the southern bank of the Araxes river that appears to
have been constructed at the same time with Minuahinili
and a fortress-garrison town (Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş fortress)
next to them which established later were in southeast;
an outpost-route station (Melekli-Lanetlitepe fortress),
settlement and columbarium were in the west; an outpostroute station (Bozkurt fortress II) and a central fortress
(Ömerağa-Gölyüzü fortress) in the Doğubayazıt plain
were on the southern slope of Mt. Ağrı.
Bulakbaşı fortresses located c. 4 km southeast of
Minuahinili (Karakoyunlu) at a closer point further east
to the Araxes river, on the shore of Lake Bulakbaşı (Figs
1-2, 13-16)16. This area, which is recessed southward
along the skirts of Mt. Ağrı, is the richest wetlands of the
region. Lake Bulakbaşı is also the exit point of Karasu
River which is a branch of the Araxes river. Urartian
fortresses at Bulakbaşı (2-4) and a big kurgan (Bulakbaşı
1) located on the surrounding hills on the western shore
of lake. They are all on adjacent hills: Kurgan (Bulakbaşı
1), Fortress 4, Fortress 2 and Fortress 3-Aktaş lies from
north to south.
Bulakbaşı fortress 2 situated on a low hill adjacent to the
fortress of Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş and next to the lake (Fig.
13, 15-16)17. The plan of the fortress is partly clear due
to a Middle Age level on top. A rough plan of the fortress
is rectangular, with 200 m length with. The walls were
built with semi-ashler stones, had a thickness of 3.00 m.
Remains of two adjacent interior rooms in the plan of
rectangular are visible on the northern corner.
Bulakbaşı fortress 4 is on a high hill adjacent to the
kurgan (Bulakbaşı fortress 1), (Fig. 14)18. The lay out
of the fortress is rectangular, with 130 m length (the
existing part) and 50 m width. Although the plan of the
southern part of the fortress remains undeined, the main
gate (3.60 m wide) into the citadel appears to have been
on the northern side, overlooking the kurgan (Bulakbaşı
fortress 1).
16
Minuahinili, the Urartian political center of the region
was strengthened with new constructions in time (Figs
15
We found a large number of Late Iron Age pottery both Karakoyunlu Fortress II and Koruktepe mound and also from Melekli-Kültepe mound showing of the presence of an large Achaemenid settlement.
17
18
Ivanovskj and Nikol’skij recorded three fortress, on the western shore of Lake Bulakbaşı (Fig. 15). Enumerating the fortresses of Bulakbaşı No. 1 and 2 (we used the same), from here
to the south, they inally did research on Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş,
which they called the Great Fortress. Ivanovskij 1911: 38-56;
Nikol’skij 1896: 17-18, 28-29. We have found a new Urartian
fortress (Bulakbaşı 4) on a high hill between Bulakbaşı 1 and 2.
I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Dr. Ayhan Yardımcıel
for his help in Bulakbaşı studies.
Ivanovskij 1911: 55-56.
The site has not been investigated by İvanovsky.
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ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 14: Bulakbaşı Kurgan (Fortress 1) and Fortress 4 / Bulakbaşı Kurgan (Kale 1) ve Kale 4
84
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş fortress-garrison town is located
dominating entire plain-valley on a very high hill
adjacent to Bulakbaşı fortress 2 (see fn 14), (Figs. 13, 1516)19. The plan of the fortress is roughly triangle-shaped,
it has strong walls which has dimensions of 500 x 280 m
and 3 m thickness built semi ashlar masonry. Three gates
reached by ramps are on the walls which were regularly
buttressed, main gate is situated on the east with towers
and a long-wide ramp. The traces of architecture inside
are very weak and a few pottery was found in the
fortress20, for this reason, it is possible to claim that this
was not established as a settlement. Given its situation on
an extremely high hill and its plan which is not typical of
Urartu and the closeness to Minuahinili; it must have been
used as a garrison-town. Its localization on the shore of
Lake Bulakbaşı and the Karasu river which lows to the
Araxes river must have been an important reason to build
such a big fortress. Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş fortress shows the
architectural features of the 7th century BC. It is possible
to admit that it was established on the northern bank
of the Araxes river by Rusa, son of Argishti II, during
the foundation of the new political center Teishebaini
(Karmir Blur), and the reorganization in Aza.
Bulakbaşı fortress 1 is a kurgan although Ivanovskj
recorded as a fortress and numerated Bulakbaşı 1 (Fig.
14-15)21. Unfortunately, no suficient information reported
from his excavation. It is situated on a small and low hill
northwestern end of lake. The kurgan is 8 m in diameter in
the middle of a square platform (10 x 10 m) with terraces
which built semi-ashlar masonry. It is dificult to date it, no
pottery has been found. The plan of İvanovsky is not very
different, the kurgan lies on the eastern corner, platform is
much more visible and a small passage on the west wall
which we couldn’t have seen.
The fortresses at Bulakbaşı usually known as Minuahinili
from inscription reported from Başbulak-Bulakbaşı
in the literature. No distinction was made for the three
fortresses of Bulakbaşı investigated by İvanovsky, the
site recorded as a single fortress. As we mentioned above,
the ind spot of the Bulakbaşı inscription are unclear and
fortress II at Karakoyunlu much more convenient for the
localization of Minuahinili, in fact, it can be considered
as a single settlement because of both sites are very close
to each other. The architecture of fortresses at Bulakbaşı
2 and 4 were semi-ashlar masonry which is typical for
Urartu. Unfortunately, it is very dificult to distinguish
which one was built by Minua, no pottery has been found
in the fortresses and the plans of Bulakbaşı fortresses
19
20
21
Ivanovskij 1911: 56-59; Nikol’skij 1896: 19-20, Great Fortress;
Özfırat 2014a.
These sherds shows EIA features, probably they belong to an
earlier building.
Ivanovskij 1911: 54-55.
are not typical. The fortress at Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş is
separated from others by its architecture, which shows
late Urartian characteristics. The fact that the ind spot
of the Bulakbaşı inscriptions are not fully known create
a problem, nevertheless, the presence of inscriptions
related to the foundation of Minuahinili near the fortresses
thoughts that one of the fortresses of Bulakbaşı 2 and 4
was built by Minua. It seems that, the Lake Bulakbaşı
densely fortiied by the Urartians due to its geographical
location, most likely for military activities. King
Minua, probably Argishti I and afterwards Rusa, son of
Argishti II should have preferred this fertile area of Lake
Bulakbaşı which is also very close to the Araxes river. Its
location on the crossroads of southern Transcaucasia and
northwestern Iran in the valley, and its closeness to the
primary administrative centers like Erebuni (Arin Berd),
Argishtihinili (Armavir) and Teishebaini (Karmir Blur)
are situated in across the Araxes river, and absence of
pottery in the fortresses strengthening the assumption of
their military base.
Melekli Urartian settlement is situated c. 4 km west
of Minuahinili, at the northwestern end of Mt Ağrı22.
It is located in Melekli settlement complex and just
below the LBA-EIA city of Luhiuni-Kasımtığı, on the
interconnected low lava hills that extend into plains. (Figs.
1-3, 6). Melekli Urartian settlement consist of interrelated
units: Outpost-route station (Lanetlitepe fortress),
fort ? (Deliktaş mound), columbarium (Kültepe) and
settlement (Kültepe mound)23. It seems that the Urartian
settlement at Melekli was established in 8th century BC.
The Melekli-Lanetlitepe fortress has an image belonging
the early 8th century BC, an outpost-route station with
its location, planning and size. Columbarium is dated to
the second half of the 7th century BC and is considered
a cemetery belonging to the military garrison of Urartu.
It must have been established by King Minua during the
irst time the region was incorporated into the Urartian
borders or during the conquest of the northern part of
the Araxes river by King Argishti I (785/80-756 BC).
Melekli, with its location at the west end of the plain and
22
23
Özfırat 2017b
In general, Kültepe mound and Columbarium named as a single
site as Kültepe, Melekli or Iğdır. The reason of this confusion
is because they are next to each other over a single hill and the
Urartian level in the mound is not deined yet (Fig. 3, 6). First
excavation at Melekli-Kültepe (Iğdır) mound and Urartian Columbarium were carried out by P.F. Petrov in 1913. Second excavation at Urartian Columbarium was carried out by K. Balkan
in 1966. The material of excavation of P. F. Petrov in Tbilisi was
published later by B. A. Kuftin, see Kuftin 1944. The summary
and additional information related to the Columbarium part of
this publication was published in English by R. D. Barnett, see
Barnett 1963. The material of excavation of K. Balkan was not
published, for a short informations see Mellink 1967 and Alkım
1968. The material of Balkan excavation in Kars Museum was
studied by us, see Özfırat 2017b.
85
ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
Figure 15: Map of Taşburun (Bulakbaşı-Karakoyunlu) and Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş Fortress, Investigations of A. A. Ivanovskij
and M. V. Nikol’skij / Taşburun (Bulakbaşı-Karakoyunlu) Haritası ve Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş Kalesi, A. A. Ivanovskij ve M. V.
Nikol’skij Araştırması
86
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
Figure 16: Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş Fortress and General View of Bulakbaşı Fortress 2 / Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş Kalesi ve
Bulakbaşı 2 Kalesi Genel Görünüm
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ERIQUA AND MINUAHINILI: AN EARLY IRON AGE - NAIRI KINGDOM AND URARTIAN PROVINCE ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF MT AĞRI
on the Mt Ağrı gateway, was the most important point
between the city of Minuahinili and eastern Anatolia.
The Urartian fortress at Ömerağa-Gölyüzü and outpostroute station at Bozkurt Fortress 2 are located in Bozkurt
settlement complex on the southern slope of Mt Ağrı
(Doğubayazıt plain) and on the shore of Lake Saz-Şeyhli
(Figs. 1)24. The Urartian pottery of Ömerağa-Gölyüzü,
and its architecture and location relative to the other sites
in the plain suggests that it was the primary center in the
southern slope of Mt Ağrı connected with Minuahinili. The
area was also controlled an outpost-route station at Bozkurt
(Fortress 2) which is located on a very high hill dominating
the plain and on the western pass of Mt Ağrı (Figs. 1)25. The
fortress at Ömerağa-Gölyüzü was also important with its
location on the main road of northwestern Iran where the
early provinces of the kingdom are located. Both fortresses
must have been built during the foundation of Minuahinili
because of the earlier pottery of the fortress at ÖmerağaGölyüzü.
CONCLUSION
Northern part of Mt Ağrı was densily populated covering
a long chronological sequence, from the Late Chalcolithic
to the Late Iron Age (Achaemenid) in contrast to the rest of
the highland of eastern Anatolia by its land use which is the
most agricultural area in the region and its location on the
crossroads of southern Transcaucasia and northwestern Iran
via the Araxes river valley. Thereof, the most remarkable
sites of pre-Urartian and Urartian in the region are in the
Iğdır plain and on the surrounding hills.
Basically, to deine the exact location of pre-Urartian local
polities are dificult in the highland of eastern Anatolia, as a
result of insuficient epigraphic data and lack of stratigraphic
excavations. The most remarkable information comes from
the area of Mt Ağrı when considered the epigraphic sources
and archaeological data. The central fortresses or fortresscities of LBA-EIA which are mainly parts of settlement
complexes are suggested to be political centers or capital of
small kingdoms of Nairi, with the foundation of the kingdom
of Biainili, these sites were transformed into provincial
cities, primary administrative centers or major fortresses
of Urartu. Inscriptions of King Minua inform to conquest
of Erikua which is a local pre-Urartian polity, situated on
the southern bank of the Araxes river and foundation of
the city of Minuahinili. Luhiuni, the royal city of Erikua;
and Minuahinili, the new fortress-city of Urartu located in
24
25
Özfırat 2016.
It is dificult to date since we didn’t make any excavation, and a
few pottery have the characteristics of 8th-7th century BC. Yet,
its situation on the western gateway on Mt. Ağrı between the
plains of Doğubayazıt and Iğdır strengthen the possibility of its
foundation dating back the irst campaigns of Minua.
settlement complexes at Melekli and Karakoyunlu (Iğdır)
on the northern slope of Mt Ağrı (Iğdır plain-south of the
Araxes valley) according to the result of our survey.
Kasımtığı-Gre Herşe at Melekli settlement complex
is the largest of the LBA-EIA fortresses in the region
showing city characteristic. Luhiuni, the capital of
Erikua and the political center of the region in pre-Urartu
must be the large fortress-city at Kasımtığı-Gre Herşe
which surrounded by fortiication walls (Figs. 1-3, 5-6).
The new fortress-city at Karakoyunlu II-Minuahinili
was established as a political center of the region when
the Luhiuni captured by King Minua. In this manner,
territorial control and the military organization of the
north-eastern frontier of the kingdom were substantially
completed.
The construction of Minuahinili supported in time by
fortresses, garrison-towns, outposts, road stations and
settlements surrounding the city. It seems that, King
Minua established the Bulakbaşı fortresses 2 and 4
for military activities on the northern slope which was
located at a closer point further east to Araxes valley
for defense of the city of Minuahinili and campaigns of
southern Transcaucasia. The area densely fortiied by the
Urartians due to its geographical location. King Minua,
probably Argishti I afterwards Rusa, son of Argishti II
must have preferred the area of Lake Bulakbaşı because
of its fertile land and its setting up a forward point on the
crossroad of southern Transcaucasia and northwestern
Iran as shown by the fortress at Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş.
Mt Ağrı western pass was controlled from both sides by the
Melekli and Bozkurt outposts-route stations and the central
fortress at Ömerağa-Gölyüzü on the southern slope which
was located at a closer point further east to northwestern
Iran such as Bulakbaşı on the north (Figs. 1-2, 11). The
plain of Doğubayazıt on the southern slope of mountain
also was important for the kingdom of Urartu because of
its location on the main routes leading to Tushpa in the
south, to Caucasia in the north, to Euphrates valley in the
west via the Murat river valley and to northwesten Iran in
the east. Thus, the infrastructure for southern Transcaucasia
campaigns and consolidation with new cities and provinces
was established in northwestern Iran-Lake Urmia. Probably,
the strengthening of Minuahinili continued during the
foundation of Argishtihinili (Armavir) and construction
of the northern bank of the Araxes river as a province
of Urartu by Argishti I seems to have been completed
by Rusa, the son of Argishti II (c. 675‘s BC). Rusa has
increased its power in the eastern and northern regions of
the kingdom with its large-scale construction activities such
as the new cities Teishebaini (Karmir Blur) and Rusaihinili
(Bastam). Bulakbaşı 3-Aktaş Fortress, located in the east of
Minuahinili and very close to the river, must have been built
as a garrison-town during the reorganization of King Rusa.
88
Aynur ÖZFIRAT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like here to thank warmly the Turkish Ministry
of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate for Monuments and Museums for giving permission and support
to work Mt Ağrı Survey (2002-2011) and Excavation
of Bozkurt Kurgan Cemetery (2007-2013). Project is
also supported by Governor of Ağrı, TÜBITAK (The
Scientiic and Technical Research Council of Turkey
(SBB-105K063), Van Yüzüncü Yıl University (2002FED-093), Mustafa Kemal University (1003M0113/45,
1101M0115/158, 1201M0102/258, 10240) and the Turkish Historical Society. Our special thanks goes to Prof. Dr.
Veli Sevin with his kind help. I would like warmly thanks
also to Dr. Yervand Grekyan, Dr. Ayhan Yardımcıel and
Dr. Behlul İbrahimli for their kind help.
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