The archaeological survey. In: 'The Uşaklı Höyük Survey Project (2008-2012). A final report'

The team of Florence University carried out an archaeological survey at Uşaklı Höyük, the largest site by area on the upper course of the Eğri Öz Dere, north of the Kerkenes Dağ, and its catchment are within a 5km range [1]. The aim of the research was to attempt to determine the date of occupation at the site and place it in a wider regional and chronological context, pinpointing the presence of further nearby sites and the development of settlement pattern over the course of time [2]. Combining extensive and intensive methods and varying sampling strategies, mounded sites, fields, grazing land, uplands and valley floors were explored over the course of five work seasons [2.1]. Along with collecting archaeological materials, focused scraping operations on the steep slope of the high mound were planned in order to obtain more information on the settlement sequence. An intensive sampling strategy of all the artefacts relating to the main topographical or surveyed units had the initial aim of obtaining a detailed scatter of the different categories of finds. In each of the surveyed units we marked, mapped and picked up all of the artefacts found on the surface. This systematic collection yielded a sufficient amount of pottery to identify the ware and shape groups and, accordingly, to date the occupation of the site in terms of wide chronological periods [2.2]. Moreover, the dispersal of specific categories of materials provided an indication of areas where some of these periods may be better documented [2.3]. The surveying and collecting carried out in the field enabled us to sketch a rough history of settlement in the area, from the Late Chalcolithic to the Ottoman period [3]. According to our results, the site of Uşaklı shows an intensive phase of occupation dating to the 2nd millennium, and evidence for a significant settlement dating to the 1st millennium [4].