Читать книгу A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire, 2 Volume Set - Группа авторов - Страница 158

In the mountainous Cilician terrain, on a rugged hilltop between Silifke and Anamur, is Meydancıkkale, ancient Kiršu. The name is mentioned in two Achaemenid period Aramaic inscriptions at the site (Davesne and Laroche‐Traunecker 1998; Casabonne 2004: pp. 151–165). Ruled by the family of Appuašu under Achaemenid control, Kiršu was a strongly protected local residential fort that could patrol the coast and the mountain zone, and manage the exploitation of timber resources. Some of the reused blocks, associated with a large structure, display reliefs reminiscent of the gift bearers represented in the reliefs of Persepolis. Images on Cilician coins issued predominantly between c. 450 and 375 BCE reflect the complex sociopolitical connections in the region.

Kinet Höyük near Issus plain was a fortified settlement during the fourth century BCE. A large mudbrick structure dated to c. 400 BCE bears similar features to those at Oylum Höyük near KiIlis and Hacınebi at the Birecik Dam area (Gates 2005: pp. 61–62).

Excavations of the earlier levels of Dülükbaba Tepesi by the sanctuary of the Roman god Jupiter Dolichenus, 10 km from Gaziantep, revealed that the hilltop of the site was already in use as a sanctuary earlier during the Iron Age (Schachner 2011). An Achaemenid‐type bull capital of basalt, found in a fill, has been associated with a large structure that served as a main building in the sanctuary. This area also yielded rich finds consisting of seals and jewelry in Neo‐Babylonian and Achaemenid styles.

The cemeteries at Tilbes and Hacınebi at the Birecik Dam area on the Euphrates, which yielded seals, jewelry, and pottery, appear to be contemporary to the Devehüyük cemetery (Gil Fuensanta and Crivelli 2010; McMahon 1996; Moorey 1980). The settlements at Tilbes, Surtepe, and Hacınebi show no sign of destruction in the beginning of Achaemenid rule, nor after their demise, suggesting relatively smooth transitions to alternative hegemonic establishments. Excavations in these settlements revealed significantly large structures that were in use during the Achaemenid period. The structure at Surtepe, with mudbrick walls preserved up to 3 m in parts, finds its nearby counterpart excavated at Mezra Teleilat, located 7 km to the south of Birecik (comparable architecture also at Tille: Blaylock 2009). It is an impressive building with magazines and storage units that had access to a large courtyard in the middle (S¸enyurt 2006). Fragments of tablets in late Neo‐Babylonian cuneiform were found on the floor. This mudbrick structure appears to have served as a regional residence and a warehouse where revenues were stored and presumably distributed in the middle Euphrates area.