Göllüdağ (also Göllü Dağ, Golludag) is a volcanic mountain located in central Turkey. This area has a long history of human occupation going back to the Lower Paleolithic period. Especially the obsidian found here was valuable.
| Göllü Dağ | |
|---|---|
  Göllü Dağ | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,143 m (7,031 ft) |
| Coordinates | 38°15′35″N 34°33′0″E / 38.25972°N 34.55000°E |
| Geography | |
| Location | Niğde Province, Turkey |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Lava dome |
| Last eruption | Unknown |
Geology
editA lava dome of this volcano has produced rhyolite, dacite and basalt. The lavas have been dated at 1.33 to 0.84 million years by fission track dating of obsidian. The dome lies above the Tertiary Derinkuyu caldera.[1]
History
editIt was determined that the obsidian found in abundance in Göllü Dağ was used by the prehistoric peoples as early as the Lower Paleolithic period, 800,000 years ago.[2]
Obsidian trade
editGolludag obsidian was mined, processed and traded to distant areas as far as Cyprus, and Syria. A 40,000-year-old obsidian tool was found in Syria that was made from Golludag obsidian.[3] The areas where obsidian was processed locally may be the earliest such workshops in the world.
In 1996, it was determined that the early humans passed through this area during their transition from Africa to Europe.[4]
Iron Age
editNeo-Hittite Tabal
edit
During the early Iron Age period, Göllüdağ belonged to the Tabal state, which was also a part of the larger Tabal (region). High upon the mountain, a large settlement was found dating back to the 8th century BC, the period of Neo-Hittite civilization. The city here was surrounded by a stone wall; the important structures were also protected by a second wall.[5] The largest building at the site, occupying the highest location, measures about 112 by 228 meters.
The lion statues found among the building remains are quite remarkable. Two large double portal lions, two portal lions, and two sphinxes have been discovered. They are now exhibited in the Nigde Museums.
In 2000, a bone fragment thought to belong to an ancestor of horses was found as the result of the erosion of the mountain slope.
Several structural similarities indicate that Göllüdağ was also associated with the settlement on Mount Kerkenes, which is located about 170km north.[6]
Excavations
editThe excavations here started in 1934 by Remzi Oğuz Arık. Wulf Schirmer excavated here between 1992 and 1998.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Göllü Dag". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
- ^ (2021) The unknown importance of Göllü Dağ on the route of the first humans’ Transition from Africa to Europe. - arkeonews.net
- ^ (2021) The unknown importance of Göllü Dağ on the route of the first humans’ Transition from Africa to Europe. - arkeonews.net
- ^ (2021) The unknown importance of Göllü Dağ on the route of the first humans’ Transition from Africa to Europe. - arkeonews.net
- ^ Göllüdağ - hittitemonuments.com
- ^ Map showing the location of Golludag in the context of ancient Anatolia. in Geoffrey Summers 2013, "The Kale at Kerkenes Dağ: An Iron Age Capital in Central Anatolia."