Sevin, V., "The origins of the Urartians in the light of the Van-Karagündüz excavations", Anatolian Iron Ages 4: The Proceedings of the Fourth Anatolian Iron Ages Colloquium held at Mersin, 19-23 May 1997, Anatolian Studies 49, Eds. A. Çilingiroğlu, R. J. Matthews, London, 1999: 159-164. (original) (raw)

Abstract

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The research explores the origins of the Urartians through archaeological findings from the Van-Karagündüz excavations, emphasizing the continuity of culture from the Early Iron Age to the establishment of the Urartian state. It suggests that present evidence indicates no cultural gap during this transition, and posits that the Urartian civilization has roots firmly planted in the Van region. The study stresses that the excavated cemeteries reflect an early pastoral lifestyle and contributes to understanding the Urartian cultural and historical development from various archaeological sources.

Figures (8)

There is new information from the cemetery of Karagiindiiz about the Urartian Kingdom around Lake Van. Karagiindiiz is a village located 35km northeast of the centre of Van at an elevation of 1890m, on the north- eastern border of the mineral waters of Lake Ercek. An important Iron Age cemetery was uncovered in 1991 and rescue excavations started in 1992 (Karagiindiiz rescue excavations are supported by the Governate of Van Province and Istanbul University Research Fund, project number 613/210494). The cemetery is 1.5km east of the modern village, on an alluvial plain (fig 1). During the excavations from 1993 to 1996, nine tombs (K1-10) were excavated in Karagiindtiz cemetery. Six of these were chamber tombs with dromoi (fig 2). Burial chambers were formed as pits dug into the ground and surrounded with rough stones and mortar. All of them are orientated northeast to southwest. All the chambers, with one exception (K4), have a little front entrance (dromos) at the narrow southwest side, which is at a higher level than the chamber (fig 3). There is a low door, reaching into the chamber. After the burial placement the entrance was blocked with a vertically positioned heavy stone slab, and the dromos was filled with stones and earth until a new burial was to be made. mr row . og 1 i? oud During the excavations from 1993 to 1996, nine

There is new information from the cemetery of Karagiindiiz about the Urartian Kingdom around Lake Van. Karagiindiiz is a village located 35km northeast of the centre of Van at an elevation of 1890m, on the north- eastern border of the mineral waters of Lake Ercek. An important Iron Age cemetery was uncovered in 1991 and rescue excavations started in 1992 (Karagiindiiz rescue excavations are supported by the Governate of Van Province and Istanbul University Research Fund, project number 613/210494). The cemetery is 1.5km east of the modern village, on an alluvial plain (fig 1). During the excavations from 1993 to 1996, nine tombs (K1-10) were excavated in Karagiindtiz cemetery. Six of these were chamber tombs with dromoi (fig 2). Burial chambers were formed as pits dug into the ground and surrounded with rough stones and mortar. All of them are orientated northeast to southwest. All the chambers, with one exception (K4), have a little front entrance (dromos) at the narrow southwest side, which is at a higher level than the chamber (fig 3). There is a low door, reaching into the chamber. After the burial placement the entrance was blocked with a vertically positioned heavy stone slab, and the dromos was filled with stones and earth until a new burial was to be made. mr row . og 1 i? oud During the excavations from 1993 to 1996, nine

Fig 3. Karagiindiiz cemetery, tomb K5 As the roofs have collapsed, the original height is not clear but the existing heights vary between 1.50 to 2.50m. The roofs are similar to the Ernis (Unseli) graves, which were covered with the technique called false arch or corbelling (Sevin 1987: 36). The walls are even, only one sample (K1) having a large niche near the middle of the south wall (fig 2). This kind of large niche is encountered later as an early characteristic of classic Urartian grave architecture (Sevin 1986: fig 3; 1987: fig 11).

Fig 3. Karagiindiiz cemetery, tomb K5 As the roofs have collapsed, the original height is not clear but the existing heights vary between 1.50 to 2.50m. The roofs are similar to the Ernis (Unseli) graves, which were covered with the technique called false arch or corbelling (Sevin 1987: 36). The walls are even, only one sample (K1) having a large niche near the middle of the south wall (fig 2). This kind of large niche is encountered later as an early characteristic of classic Urartian grave architecture (Sevin 1986: fig 3; 1987: fig 11).

Fig 2. Karagiindiiz cemetery, dromos tomb K1

Fig 2. Karagiindiiz cemetery, dromos tomb K1

Fig 4. Karagiindiiz cemetery, tomb K6-7 One of the tombs in the cemetery, K2, has very distinctive features (Sevin, Kavakh 1994: 335; 1996a: 19, 1996b: 4, fig 3). This tomb is orientated northeast to southwest like the others, and the entrance on the low side faces west. Perpendicularly placed monoliths were used, rather than stones placed on top of each other, to build the walls, and on top of these heavy flat slabs were used to facilitate the setting of the flat roof stones. The characteristics of this tomb suggest a stone box in its appearance, but the entrance at the southwest makes it clear that it is a very interesting and primitive low type of grave chamber. The entrance, 0.53m wide, was blocked with a thin stone slab. The whole length of this grave chamber is 2.50 to 2.70m and there is a corridor-like passage 0.53 to 0.65m wide and 0.70m deep which leads to the grave chamber. The narrow and shallow room widens towards its eastern corner, reaching a width of 2.30m. There is a pit, dug into the hard clay soil, with a diameter of 1.20m and a depth of 0.45m, in which were found skulls, skeletons and grave goods, which help in the interpretation of this structure. This situation reminds us that bottle-shaped pits, of obscure purpose, occur in some Urartian graves (Burney 1966: 107, fig 22; Sevin 1994a: fig 5; Kleiss 1974: fig 18). This grave, however, could not be understood in detail because of damage at the northeast end. Grave K2 from Karagiindiiz appears more archaic in

Fig 4. Karagiindiiz cemetery, tomb K6-7 One of the tombs in the cemetery, K2, has very distinctive features (Sevin, Kavakh 1994: 335; 1996a: 19, 1996b: 4, fig 3). This tomb is orientated northeast to southwest like the others, and the entrance on the low side faces west. Perpendicularly placed monoliths were used, rather than stones placed on top of each other, to build the walls, and on top of these heavy flat slabs were used to facilitate the setting of the flat roof stones. The characteristics of this tomb suggest a stone box in its appearance, but the entrance at the southwest makes it clear that it is a very interesting and primitive low type of grave chamber. The entrance, 0.53m wide, was blocked with a thin stone slab. The whole length of this grave chamber is 2.50 to 2.70m and there is a corridor-like passage 0.53 to 0.65m wide and 0.70m deep which leads to the grave chamber. The narrow and shallow room widens towards its eastern corner, reaching a width of 2.30m. There is a pit, dug into the hard clay soil, with a diameter of 1.20m and a depth of 0.45m, in which were found skulls, skeletons and grave goods, which help in the interpretation of this structure. This situation reminds us that bottle-shaped pits, of obscure purpose, occur in some Urartian graves (Burney 1966: 107, fig 22; Sevin 1994a: fig 5; Kleiss 1974: fig 18). This grave, however, could not be understood in detail because of damage at the northeast end. Grave K2 from Karagiindiiz appears more archaic in

Fig 5. Karagiindiiz cemetery, tomb K10 In another grave, K10 (fig 5), there were ten skulls with grave goods in a simple earth hollow dug through a niche-like little window in the lower rear wall near to the middle and close to the surface. This kind of enterprise can be considered as a prototype of the multi-roomed Urartian examples. In the same way as it is encountered in Urartian rock tombs, and as it is easy to distinguish these side rooms with their unfinished workmanship from the main chamber, it may be thought that these side rooms were used as stores for skeletons and grave goods (Sevin, Kavakli 1996a: 19; 1996b: 5). A general feature of the architectural structure of the A general feature of the architectural structure of the Karagtindiiz grave chambers is the fact that the grave chambers contained many skeletons. Mostly depending on the size of the grave, the number varies from 20 to 80. Burials were placed in the chamber in a flexed position, on one side without any distinct orientation (figs 4, 6). When a new burial was made the old ones were pushed aside to open a space for the new one, thus creating a pile of older skeletons at the back through time. Only the last burial thus kept its original position. This aspect is also known as a feature of classic Urartian chamber tombs (Ogiin 1978a: 661; 1978b: 62, fig 2). The same tradition was applied to Assyrian grave chambers from the Middle Assyrian period (Haller 1954: 102, fig 136a).

Fig 5. Karagiindiiz cemetery, tomb K10 In another grave, K10 (fig 5), there were ten skulls with grave goods in a simple earth hollow dug through a niche-like little window in the lower rear wall near to the middle and close to the surface. This kind of enterprise can be considered as a prototype of the multi-roomed Urartian examples. In the same way as it is encountered in Urartian rock tombs, and as it is easy to distinguish these side rooms with their unfinished workmanship from the main chamber, it may be thought that these side rooms were used as stores for skeletons and grave goods (Sevin, Kavakli 1996a: 19; 1996b: 5). A general feature of the architectural structure of the A general feature of the architectural structure of the Karagtindiiz grave chambers is the fact that the grave chambers contained many skeletons. Mostly depending on the size of the grave, the number varies from 20 to 80. Burials were placed in the chamber in a flexed position, on one side without any distinct orientation (figs 4, 6). When a new burial was made the old ones were pushed aside to open a space for the new one, thus creating a pile of older skeletons at the back through time. Only the last burial thus kept its original position. This aspect is also known as a feature of classic Urartian chamber tombs (Ogiin 1978a: 661; 1978b: 62, fig 2). The same tradition was applied to Assyrian grave chambers from the Middle Assyrian period (Haller 1954: 102, fig 136a).

Fig 6. Karagiindtiz cemetery, tomb K5 In addition to this, a smaller number of the grave chambers contain burnt bones, mostly belonging to youngsters (Sevin, Kavakli 1996: 23; 1996b: 6). As with Urartian examples, there is no trace of these cremated bones and ashes having been kept in urns. It is another characteristic of Urartian graves that one may encounter inhumation and cremation next to each other in the same grave (Ogiin 1978a: 660; 1978b: 6). In addition to this, a smaller number of the grave

Fig 6. Karagiindtiz cemetery, tomb K5 In addition to this, a smaller number of the grave chambers contain burnt bones, mostly belonging to youngsters (Sevin, Kavakli 1996: 23; 1996b: 6). As with Urartian examples, there is no trace of these cremated bones and ashes having been kept in urns. It is another characteristic of Urartian graves that one may encounter inhumation and cremation next to each other in the same grave (Ogiin 1978a: 660; 1978b: 6). In addition to this, a smaller number of the grave

Fig 7. Cups for foodstuffs and liquids Many pots were encountered in the Karagiindiiz cemetery. These pots can be divided into two major groups according to their technology, shape and Jecoration. In the first, larger, group the colour of the fabric is usually pink, less often brown or reddish. These ots are usually wheel-made, but there are some hand- made examples as well. The most common technical characteristic of these pots is the differentiation in colour on burnished surfaces, caused by varying temperature in he kiln. This characteristic can be seen in Karagiindiiz, he contemporary Ernis cemetery and Hasanlu IV (Sevin 1996: 441, note 6; Dyson 1989: 108, fig 7). The commonest forms are inverted-rimmed earthenware pots with horizontal fluted decoration under the rim, pots with angular profiles and vertically perforated handles (fig 7), and vessels with a flaring rim usually with a groove inside, short body, S-shaped profile and flat base. In addition to these, pots with a simple rim, carination with or without handle and flat base, and jars with narrow and nigh necks are significant. Small blobs often occur on the shoulders of pots as decorative motifs. Some of the cups are decorated by incision, and a few of them bear motifs made by stamping.

Fig 7. Cups for foodstuffs and liquids Many pots were encountered in the Karagiindiiz cemetery. These pots can be divided into two major groups according to their technology, shape and Jecoration. In the first, larger, group the colour of the fabric is usually pink, less often brown or reddish. These ots are usually wheel-made, but there are some hand- made examples as well. The most common technical characteristic of these pots is the differentiation in colour on burnished surfaces, caused by varying temperature in he kiln. This characteristic can be seen in Karagiindiiz, he contemporary Ernis cemetery and Hasanlu IV (Sevin 1996: 441, note 6; Dyson 1989: 108, fig 7). The commonest forms are inverted-rimmed earthenware pots with horizontal fluted decoration under the rim, pots with angular profiles and vertically perforated handles (fig 7), and vessels with a flaring rim usually with a groove inside, short body, S-shaped profile and flat base. In addition to these, pots with a simple rim, carination with or without handle and flat base, and jars with narrow and nigh necks are significant. Small blobs often occur on the shoulders of pots as decorative motifs. Some of the cups are decorated by incision, and a few of them bear motifs made by stamping.

Fig 8. Red polished ware to the Middle Iron Age, which starts with the estab- lishment of the Urartian state. We can, moreover, assert that the culture attested at the cemeteries of Ernis and Karagiindiiz is the progenitor of Urartian culture, and that the roots of classic Urartian civilisation should be searched for in the Van region.

Fig 8. Red polished ware to the Middle Iron Age, which starts with the estab- lishment of the Urartian state. We can, moreover, assert that the culture attested at the cemeteries of Ernis and Karagiindiiz is the progenitor of Urartian culture, and that the roots of classic Urartian civilisation should be searched for in the Van region.

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