Fig 1

ABSTRACT

The 2001 field season at the Iron Age city on the Kerkenes Dag concentrated on geophysical survey within the lower part of the burnt city. Geomagnetic survey was conducted over a very considerable portion of the lower city area. At the same time, experimentation with resistivity and electromagnetic induction techniques produced new insights in carefully selected areas. Highlights include the discovery of what appear to be megarons, the first such buildings to have been recognised at Kerkenes. Particularly striking imagery of other buried buildings in the centre of the city were also obtained, while a good candidate for the location of an open "market" area has also been identified beside the largest of the man-made reservoirs. Electronic imagery was used to create a preliminary architectural reconstruction of the 'Cappadocia Gate'. At the expedition base the backlog of recording, conservation and restoration of finds from the clearance and excavation that was carried out in 2000 was completed. Ten pottery vessels from the 2000 'Palace Complex' excavations were found to bear signs which had been incised after firing. These signs very probably represent the existence of an Anatolian alphabetic script. The recognition of "Anatolian" elements in the architecture, material culture and a system of notation is a significant addition to our evolving understanding of the urban dynamics over the two or three generations of this immense, elevated, short lived capital. Several papers have appeared over the last year and substantial progress has been made on a monograph and other publications.