Elazığ Prehistoric Archaeological Survey (EPAS) 2020 – Uluova and Vicinity: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

This contribution presents the preliminary results of archaeological surveys conducted in Elazığ province in the western reaches of Eastern Anatolia. In 2020, the Elazığ Prehistoric Archaeological Survey (EPAS) Project focused on the documentation of archaeological sites dating from the Neolithic to the end of the Bronze Ages in Uluova and vicinity within the boundaries of Elazığ central district. A total of 38 sites were investigated in this zone during the first field season. Among these, 17 were previously unregistered sites. Bureaucratic procedures were initiated by EPAS through the Regional Cultural Heritage Preservation Board in Diyarbakır for these 17 sites to be officially included in the cultural heritage register in order for urgent site preservation measures to be put into action. Additionally, various other previously undocumented sites were identified and recorded by EPAS Project. Although Elazığ was pivotal for Keban Project (1968-1976), which was inarguably the most significant large-scale archaeological initiative in the region, no further investigations were carried out in the province in the following decades. After a long interruption, EPAS marks the beginning of a new era, revitalizing prehistoric archaeology in Elazığ. Unfortunately, the most striking observation of this field season is the severity of ongoing destruction even at previously registered sites. Some of the mounds are nearly obliterated by modern buildings, while others are threatened by agricultural activity. Elazığ province, and especially its districts, still home to a rich repository of cultural assets dating from the prehistoric to modern ages, are waiting to be investigated by archaeologists.