The discovery of the mound, now called Tepecik Höyük, has revolutionized the knowledge about the presence of the Hittites in the western part of Anatolia. The mound itself is still being excavated by archaeological teams, but information about it is not very widespread outside of Turkey, nor is its location indicated in the maps of the country. We came across it entirely by accident in 2013, encouraged by a signpost in the town of Çine.
The mound of Tepecik Höyük was identified in 1995, during an archaeological reconnaissance carried out on the Menderes Plain. However, this discovery did not immediately attract researchers. It was not until 2001 that professor Sevinç Günel from the University of Hacettepe in Ankara conducted preliminary sondages. In 2004, under her management, systematic excavations began, which have been ongoing until now. We were able to meet with the professor in the area of Tepecik Höyük, and thanks to her kindness, we can present some unique photos from the excavations.
The oval mound extends in the north-south direction in a lowland area of cultivated fields, around 3 km from the town of Çine, and 1 km to the east of Çine Stream, i.e the ancient river Marsyas. It is one of the major tributaries of the Meander River (now known as Büyük Menderes in Turkish). The valley where Tepecik Höyük is located forms a strategic transportation link to the Bay of Gökova and its natural ports. The mound widens from north to south and has a flat top. Its size is around 40 by 120 meters at the base level, and it is 9 meters high. The mound was created by the accumulation of successive layers of settlement for thousands of years.
The history of human settlement revealed by the archaeologists so far indicate that the place was continuously inhabited from the Late Neolithic until the Late Bronze Age. The remains of the defensive wall surrounding the mound date back to the 2nd millennium BCE. Archaeologists found many objects on the site of the mound, which are dated to the Middle and Late Bronze Age. They include, among others, Mycenaean ceramics and clay stamps belonging to the Hittite Empire, depicting Hittite kings and princes.
A Late Bronze Age settlement has been, thus far, discovered primarily in the western and southern parts of the tell. Its western part revealed a fortification wall, running approximately along the north-south axis. This wall is more than 2 meters wide and has been exposed through excavations along a 55 meters long section. The fortification wall had several square towers, approximately six by six meters in size, placed at the intervals of 20 meters.
Within the wall area, a room was discovered that was apparently a depot. Vessels found there represented the native Anatolian wares predominantly, in particular fine bowls of different types. Some imported Mycenaean crater fragments were also discovered. Another spacious storage room, more than 16 meters long and four meters wide, was a warehouse, with huge vessels known as pithoi and a range of typical western Anatolian ceramics. Other storage rooms held metal pieces, for example, spear points and needles.
The most astonishing discovery was in the form of two seal impressions that belonged to the person called [Tark]asnaya ve Pisurailix or [Tark]asnapiya ve Surailix. These impressions have been interpreted as the evidence for direct contact between the Hittite Empire and south-western Anatolia.
Based on the findings from Tepecik Höyük, it can be concluded that it was a settlement combining the influence of Aegean cultures from the west and central Anatolia from the east. Professor Sevinç Günel claims that the Hittite seals indicate the presence and activity of the Hittites in Western Anatolia. These cultural influences reached the areas located on the western edge of the Hittite state and beyond them, in the areas of the so-called State of Arzawa.
Outside the defensive walls, the traces of a settlement, dating back to the Chalcolithic Age, were discovered. The tomb of later times was unfortunately partly destroyed by agriculture. Unfortunately, some parts of the mound were damaged due to illegal excavations.
By car: from the D550 route, which connects Aydın in the north and Muğla to the south, turn off to the west in the town of Çine, at the intersection marked with the appropriate signpost. indicator.
From this intersection, there are brown signposts in an unprecedented amount: on a distance of 4.4 km, we counted them at least ten of them! The largest and most famous Turkish monuments can not boast such a number. However, the distances on these signposts are given in an entirely arbitrary way: at the very beginning they indicate a distance of 2 km, then the range increases to 2.6 km, and then it decreases again. Eventually, you reach Tepecik Höyük after some 4.4 km.