Kerkenes (or Kerkenes Dağı; both names are modern) is the largest pre-Hellenistic site from the Anatolian Plateau (Turkey) – 7 km (4 mi) of strong stone defenses, pierced by seven gates, that enclose 2.5 km2 (1.0 sq mi). It is located about 200 km (120 mi) east from Ankara (35.06E, 39.75N), between the towns of Yozgat (W) and Sorgun (E).

History Late Bronze It has been suggested that this was a Hittite site in the Bronze Age, with the underlying hill being the sacred Mount Daha. An important Imperial Hittite city at Kusakli Hoyuk sits in the valley of Egrioz Su river about 8 km to the north-northwest of the city on the Kerkenes Dag. According to Gurney, the textual evidence that he assembled strongly points towards an identification of Kusakli Hoyuk with the town of Zippalanda, as mentioned in Hittite documents.O. R. Gurney, The Hittite Names of Kerkenes Dag and Kusakli Höyük, Anatolian Studies, vol. 45 pp. 69-71, 1995The huge overlaying Iron Age construction at the site makes this very difficult to verify.

Iron Age The Iron Age city, apparently a planned urban space, was only briefly occupied and is extremely large. This has suggested to some that the city was an imperial foundation of non-local peoples.Geoffrey Summers, The identification of the Iron Age City on Kerkenes Dag in Central Anatolia, The Journal of Near Eastern Studies, vol. 56, iss. 2, pp. 81–94, 1997 Although its historical context remains unclear, Phrygian remains have been found. The archaeological survey shows that the city was burned, destroyed, and abandoned.

An Old-Phrygian inscription has been found at Kerkenes Daǧ.Draycott, C. M., G. D. Summers, & C. Brixhe, "Kerkenes Special Studies 1: Sculpture and Inscriptions from the Monumental Entrance to the Palatial Complex at Kerkenes Dağ, Turkey", Oriental Institute Publications, Volume 135, Chicago: The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, 2008 Obrador-Cursach, B. 2018. Lexicon of the Phrygian Inscriptions, Thesis, Barcelona This is the Old-Phrygian inscription K-01.Kerkenes at Phrygian Monuments

Byzantine period The site also contains a Byzantine castle.

Archaeology The site was first examined in 1903 by J. G. C. Anderson.J. G. C. Anderson, A Journey of Exploration in Pontus, Studia Pontica 1, pp. 1-29, H. Lamertin, 1903 In 1926 and 1927 H. H. von der Osten and F. H. Blackburn conducted a preliminary survey of the site and made a map of the city defences.H.H. von der Osten, An Unnoticed Ancient Metropolis of Asia Minor, Geographical Review, vol. 18, pp. 83-92, 1928 Also in 1926, the site was visited by Emil Forrer.Emil Forrer, Ergebnisse einer archäologischen Reise in Kleinasien 1926, MDOG, vol. 65, pp. 27-44, 1927 In 1929 Erich Schmidt excavated at Kerkenes Dagh for around a week for the Oriental Institute of Chicago.Erich F. Schmidt, Test Excavations in the City on Kerkenes Dagh, The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 221-274, 1928

The international Kerkenes Project, which started in 1993 and ran until 2012, was directed by the British archaeologist Geoffrey Summers and Françoise Summers, both from Middle East Technical University (Ankara).G. D. Summers, Kerkenes Dag 1993, Arastirma Sonuclari Toplantisi, vol. 12, pp. 567-582, 1995M. E. F. Summers and G. D. Summers, Kerkenes Dag 1994. Arastirma Sonuclari Toplantisi, vol. 13, pp. 99-122, 1996M. E. F. Summers and G. D. Summers, Kerkenes Dag 1995, Arastirma Sonuclari Toplantisi, vol. 14, pp. 331-357, 1997G. and Summers, F., Kerkenes 2007, 31, Kazı Sonuçları Toplantısı, 25-29 Mayıs 2009, Denizli, Ankara, pp. 37-49, 2010G. Summers, F. and Branting S., Kerkenes 2008, 31, Kazı Sonuçları Toplantısı, 25-29 Mayıs 2009, Denizli, Ankara, pp. 51-64, 2010 Geoffrey D. Summers, OIP 145. Excavations at the Cappadocia Gate: Kerkenes Final Reports 1, Oriental Institute Publications 145, Chicago: The Oriental Institute, 2021 ISBN (hardcover) 978-1-61491-059-6 ISBN (eBook) 978-1-61491-060-2 Geoffrey D. Summers et al., "Excavations at the Palatial Complex: Kerkenes Final Reports 2", Oriental Institute Publications 148, Chicago: The Oriental Institute, 2022 Current fieldwork is ongoing directed by Scott Branting at the University of Central Florida.

Geoffrey Summers initially identified the site with the city of Pteria, which was described by Herodotus as belonging to the Medes. According to Herodotus, this city was captured by the Lydian king Croesus around the year 547 B.C. The Median identification has been rejected by various scholars, including Summers himself.

Nevertheless, Summers currently believes that the identification with Pteria remains correct.Geoffrey D. SUMMERS (2009), Between Urartu and Phrygia: the North-Central Anatolian Plateau in the Iron Age. In H. Sağlamtimur, et al. (eds) Studies in Honour of Altan Çilingiroğlu: a life dedicated to Urartu on the shores of the Upper Sea. Arkeoloji ve Sanat, Istanbul: 657–671 But rather than being a Median city, Pteria really was founded and belonged to the Phrygians. According to him, these Phrygians would have been natural allies of Media in its conflict with Lydia. For the Phrygians, Lydia was a long time opponent, which would explain the Lydian attack on Kerkenes.

Numerous cultural similarities link Kerkenes with the city of Göllüdağ.

See also Battle of Pteria Alishar Hüyük Çadır Höyük Cities of the ancient Near East Gordium Hattusa

Notes

References K.Bittel, Legenden vom Kerkenes-Dag (Kappadokien), Orien, vol. 22-24, pp. 29–34, 1960 M. E. F. Summers, K. Ahmet and G. D. Summers, The Regional Survey at Kerkenes Dag: An Interim Report on the Seasons of 1993 and 1994, Anatolian Studies, vol. 45, pp. 43–68, 1995

External links The Kerkenes Project Official Site Kerkenes Project 1993-2012 Turkey Expedition, Kerkenes Archaeological Project Archaeology in Turkey: The Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages, 1997-1999, American Journal of Archaeology Vol. 105, No. 3