Yumuktepe (or Yümüktepe) is a tumulus at 36°48′5″N 34°36′14″E / 36.80139°N 34.60389°E / 36.80139; 34.60389 within the city borders of Mersin, Turkey. In 1936, the tumulus was at the outskirts of Mersin. But after the rapid increase of population, now the tumulus is in the Toroslar municipality of Mersin.

Discovery and excavations[link]

Excavations during 1936-1938 period by British archaeologist John Garstang (1876–1956) who is the founder of British Institute at Ankara,^[1] have revealed a neolithic settlement which continued up to medieval ages. However, the excavations halted during the World War II and some documents in the Liverpool University have been lost after an air raid.^[2] After the war, John Garstang as well as Veli Sevin of İstanbul University and Isabella Caneva ^[3] of Sapienza University of Rome continued the excavations.^[4]

Archaeology[link]

There are 23 levels of occupation dating from ca 6300 BC. In his book named Prehistoric Mersin Garstang lists the tools unearthed in the excavations . The earliest tools are made of either stone or ceramic. Both agriculture and animal husbandry (sheep, cattle goats and porke) were among the economic activities in Yumuktepe.^[5] In the layer which corresponds to roughly 4500 BC, one of the earliest fortifications in human history exists. According to Isabella Caneva, during chalcolithic age an early copper blast furnace was in use in Yumuktepe. Probably Yumuktepe was a coastal settlement. But because of the alluvion carried by the nearby river Müftü, now the tumulus is 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) north of the Mediterranean sea side.

Historical era[link]

During historical era, Yumuktepe was a part of Kizuwatna a vassal kingdom of Hittite Empire. In a document of 1440 BC, the city of Pitura had been mentioned. Pitura might be the ancient name of the settlement. It seems, like most Hittite lands, sea people from Europe plundered Yumuktepe in 13th century BC. A second blow was from Assyrian Empire from Upper Mesopotamia. During Roman Empire, Yumuk was a relatively unimportant city named Zephyrium . But Empreror Hadrian (reigned 117-138) renamed the city as Hadrianapolis. During early Byzantine Empire, the nearby settlement of Soli (10 kilometres (6.2 mi) at the west) flourished and Yumuk was abandoned.

References[link]

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]
3. ^ [3]
4. ^ [4]
5. ^ Seton Lloyd: Ancient Turkey (Trans: Ender Verinlioğlu), Tubitak, pg 21

v t e Ancient settlements in Turkey Aegean Aegae Aizanoi Alabanda Alinda Allianoi Amorium Amyzon Antioch on the Maeander Apamea in Phrygia Aphrodisias Apollonia in Mysia Atarneus Bargylia Beycesultan Caloe Caryanda Celaenae Ceramus Colophon Cyme Didyma Docimium Ephesus Erythrae Euromus Gambrion Gryneion Halicarnassus Hierapolis Iasos Karmylissos Kaunos Klazomenai Knidos Labraunda Laodicea on the Lycus Latmus Lebedus Limantepe Magnesia on the Maeander Metropolis Miletus Myndus Myriandrus Myus Notion Nysa Oenoanda Orestias Pepuza Pergamon Perperene Phocaea Pinara Pitane Priene Sardis Sigeion Smyrna Stratonicea in Lydia Stratonicea in Caria Temnos Teos Tymion Black Sea Alaca Höyük Comana in the Pontus Euchaita Hattusa Hüseyindede Tepe Ibora Laodicea Pontica Nerik Nicopolis Pompeiopolis Salatiwara Samuha Sapinuwa Tripolis Yazılıkaya Zaliches Central Anatolia Alişar Hüyük Binbirkilise Çatalhöyük Derbe Dorylaeum Gordium Heraclea Cybistra Irenopolis Kaman-Kalehöyük Kerkenes Kültepe (Kanesh) Laodicea Combusta Mokissos Nyssa Pessinus Purushanda Tavium Tyana Eastern Anatolia Altıntepe Ani Melid Sugunia Tushpa Marmara Aegospotami Alexandria Troas Apamea Myrlea Apollonia on the Rhyndax Apros Assos Cardia Cebrene Chalcedon Cius Cyzicus Drusipara Faustinopolis Germanicopolis Lysimachia Nicomedia Sestos Skepsis Troy (Hisarlik) Mediterranean Alalakh Anazarbus Antigonia Antioch on the Orontes Antioch in Pisidia Antiochia Lamotis Antioch on the Cragus Antioch on the Pyramis Aphrodisias of Cilicia Ariassos Arsinoe Arycanda Aspendos Comana in Cappadocia Corycus (Kızkalesi) Cremna Cyrrhus Domuztepe Elaiussa Sebaste Epiphania Gözlükule Hacilar Irenopolis Issus Kandyba Karatepe Kibyra Mallus Mamure Castle Mezgitkale Mopsuestia Myra Olba Patara Perga Phaselis Rhosus Sagalassos Seleucia in Pamphylia Seleucia Pieria Seleucia Sidera Selge Side Sillyon Soli Sozopolis Tell Tayinat Termessos Tlos Xanthos Yumuktepe Southeastern Anatolia Antioch in the Taurus Antioch in Mesopotamia Apamea on the Euphrates Carchemish Çayönü Dara Edessa Göbekli Tepe Harran Kussara Nevalı Çori Sakçagözü Sam'al Samosata Sareisa Seleucia at the Zeugma Sultantepe Tille Tushhan Zeugma