Baked Clay Animal Figurines of the Karaz Culture from Early Excavations in the Erzurum Archeological Museum

Rabia Akarsu; Elif Şener

Makale detayları

Baked Clay Animal Figurines of the Karaz Culture from Early Excavations in the Erzurum Archeological Museum

Yazarlar:

Rabia Akarsu | Elif Şener

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Görsel Sanatlar (Diğer)

Dergi:

Art-Sanat Issue 23, pp.1-19

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

5/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001328419

pISSN:

2148-3582

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Figurines are significant archeological artifacts that depict humans and animals, often serving practical or symbolic purposes. Considering their location, these small artifacts provide significant insights into the belief systems of the cultures to which they belong. The Karaz culture, which flourished between approximately 3500 and 1500 BCE and extended from the Caucasus to the Levant and from Northwestern Iran to Central Anatolia, has been widely studied through the use of ceramic materials, yet there is limited information about its belief system. Besides, studies focusing on figurines from the Karaz culture are scarce. Hence, this study examines 20 baked clay animal figurines housed in the Erzurum Archeological Museum. These artifacts were recovered during early excavations at Pulur Höyüğü 1960, Güzelova Höyüğü 1961, and Sos Höyük 19942000 in Erzurum Province, a key center of the Karaz culture. No figurines were discovered at Karaz Höyüğü, the site that gave the culture its name. Within the scope of this article, the figurines were classified typologically, accompanied by detailed descriptions of their forms. Additionally, comparisons were made with similar figurines found in other regions associated with the Karaz culture.

 Figurines are significant archeological artifacts that depict humans and animals, often serving practical or symbolic purposes. Considering their location, these small artifacts provide significant insights into the belief systems of the cultures to which they belong. The Karaz culture, which flourished between approximately 3500 and 1500 BCE and extended from the Caucasus to the Levant and from Northwestern Iran to Central Anatolia, has been widely studied through the use of ceramic materials, yet there is limited information about its belief system. Besides, studies focusing on figurines from the Karaz culture are scarce. Hence, this study examines 20 baked clay animal figurines housed in the Erzurum Archeological Museum. These artifacts were recovered during early excavations at Pulur Höyüğü 1960, Güzelova Höyüğü 1961, and Sos Höyük 19942000 in Erzurum Province, a key center of the Karaz culture. No figurines were discovered at Karaz Höyüğü, the site that gave the culture its name. Within the scope of this article, the figurines were classified typologically, accompanied by detailed descriptions of their forms. Additionally, comparisons were made with similar figurines found in other regions associated with the Karaz culture.

 Figurines are significant archeological artifacts that depict humans and animals, often serving practical or symbolic purposes. Considering their location, these small artifacts provide significant insights into the belief systems of the cultures to which they belong. The Karaz culture, which flourished between approximately 3500 and 1500 BCE and extended from the Caucasus to the Levant and from Northwestern Iran to Central Anatolia, has been widely studied through the use of ceramic materials, yet there is limited information about its belief system. Besides, studies focusing on figurines from the Karaz culture are scarce. Hence, this study examines 20 baked clay animal figurines housed in the Erzurum Archeological Museum. These artifacts were recovered during early excavations at Pulur Höyüğü 1960, Güzelova Höyüğü 1961, and Sos Höyük 19942000 in Erzurum Province, a key center of the Karaz culture. No figurines were discovered at Karaz Höyüğü, the site that gave the culture its name. Within the scope of this article, the figurines were classified typologically, accompanied by detailed descriptions of their forms. Additionally, comparisons were made with similar figurines found in other regions associated with the Karaz culture.

 Figürinler, insan ve hayvan betimleri olan, ortak amaçlar doğrultusunda kullanılan arkeolojik buluntulardır. Ele geçtikleri mekânlar ile ilişki kurulduğunda daha çok dinî amaçlarla kullanıldığı düşünülen söz konusu küçük buluntular, ait oldukları kültürün inanç sistemi hakkında önemli bilgiler sunmaktadır. Yaklaşık olarak MÖ 3500-1500 yılları arasında Kafkasyadan Levant içlerine ve Kuzeybatı İrandan Orta Anadoluya kadar geniş bir alanda yayılım gösteren Karaz kültürünün daha çok seramik malzemesine dair çalışmalar yapılmış olup inanç sistemi hakkında çok az bilgi bulunmaktadır. Bununla birlikte Karaz kültürüne ait figürinler hakkında çok fazla bilimsel çalışma da yapılmamıştır. Karaz kültürünün önemli merkezlerinden biri olan Erzurum ilinde 1960 yılında Pulur Höyüğü, 1961 yılında Güzelova Höyüğü ve 1994-2000 yılları arasında Sos Höyük erken dönem kazı çalışmalarından Erzurum Arkeoloji Müzesine gelen 20 adet pişmiş toprak hayvan figürini bu çalışmanın konusunu oluşturmaktadır. Kültüre adını veren Karaz Höyüğünde figürin ele geçmemiştir. Makale kapsamında figürinlerin tipolojik sınıflandırmaları yapılıp biçimsel olarak detaylı bilgileri verildikten sonra Karaz kültür alanı içindeki benzer örnekler ile karşılaştırılması yapılmıştır.

Makale detayları

Baked Clay Animal Figurines of the Karaz Culture from Early Excavations in the Erzurum Archeological Museum

Yazarlar:

Rabia Akarsu | Elif Şener

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Görsel Sanatlar (Diğer)

Dergi:

Art-Sanat Issue 23, pp.1-19

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

5/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001328419

pISSN:

2148-3582

Karaz Culture

Eastern Anatolia Region

Erzurum Archeological Museum

Animal Figurines

Baked ClayKaraz Kültürü

Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi

Erzurum Arkeoloji Müzesi

Hayvan Figürinleri

Pişmiş Toprak

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Rabia Akarsu | Elif Şener

Yayıncı: Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar: Görsel Sanatlar (Diğer)

Dergi: Art-Sanat Issue 23, pp.1-19

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 5/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001328419

pISSN: 2148-3582

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Rabia Akarsu | Elif Şener

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Görsel Sanatlar (Diğer)

Dergi:

Art-Sanat Issue 23, pp.1-19

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

5/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001328419

pISSN:

2148-3582