Evaluating the Oylum Höyük MBA painted ware within the frameworks of the Syro-Cilician, Levantine and Khabur painted ceramic cultures

Abstract

Oylum Höyük, located on the bank of the Akpınar River in modern Kilis region, is an important mound, with cultural connections to North Syria, Mesopotamia and Anatolia. As a consequence of its advantaged position, Oylum has been inhabited from at least the 4th millennium BC to the Hellenistic period. Oylum Höyük, as part of the second millennium trade traffic, has a decorated Middle Bronze ceramic assemblage that can be used to comprehend the relations and distinctions among its neighboring cultures. In the preparation of this thesis, the main intent is to study the parallelism between Oylum painted examples and other early 2nd millennium BC decorated ceramic traditions, e.g. Khabur, Syro-Cilician, and Levantine Painted wares. The results may be helpful to establish the identification of the Middle Bronze Age painted ceramic groups of Oylum and to comprehend the cultural characteristics of the settlement in this period.