Into the Hinterland: The Middle Bronze Age Building at Toprakhisar Höyük, Altınözü (Hatay, Turkey)

Amik Ovasını güneybatıdan çevreleyen dağlık alanda yer alan ve Hatay Arkeoloji Müzesi tarafından gerçekleştirilen Toprakhisar Höyük (Altınözü, Hatay) kurtarma kazısında, Orta Tunç Çağı (MÖ 2000-1600) döneminde yeniden kentleşme olgusunu yansıtan bir yapı kompleksi açığa çıkartılmıştır. Mekan kullanımında maddesellik, işlev ve bilinçli sembolizm konusu çerçevesinde irdelenen arkeolojik veri üzerinden, kırsal yerleşimlerde görülen idari yapı komplekslerinin, kent merkezlerinden bilinen daha büyük ölçekteki sarayların stilistik özellikleri ile benzerlik gösterdiği savunulmuştur.

Into the Hinterland: The Middle Bronze Age Building at Toprakhisar Höyük, Altınözü (Hatay, Turkey)

The recent salvage excavations conducted bythe Hatay Archaeological Museum at ToprakhisarHöyük (Altınözü) in the highlands sorroundingthe Amuq Valley on its southwesternside have revealed architectural data regardingre-urbanization patterns in the Middle BronzeAge (2000-1600 BC, MBA hereafter). This archaeologicaldata is discussed under the largertheme of materiality, function, and conscioussymbolism in the use of space. It is argued thatrural sites likewise contained administrativecomplexes with stylistic attributes similar towell-known and larger palaces from the urbancenters of the region.

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