Mycenaean cultural impact on the Çine (Marsyas) plain, southwest Anatolia: the evidence from Çine-Tepecik

Abstract

AbstractTepecik is situated in the province of Aydın, on the edge of the Çine valley that forms the southern branch of the Maeander river system. It is located on a mountain pass extending towards the south, as well as on a natural passageway through the mountain range on the western side of the Çine plain. Its location on a number of natural routes is reflected in the material culture of the site, which displays both local (western Anatolian) and Aegean elements. The Late Bronze Age cultural remains from Çine-Tepecik include a group of Mycenaean pottery, presented and assessed in this study, that can be dated to the LH III B1 to LH III C period (ca. 1320/1300–1190/1090 BC) based on decorative style and typology. Both the locally produced and imported Mycenaean ceramics at Çine-Tepecik reflect characteristic vessel forms and decorative elements of Mycenaean decorated pottery. In particular, the motifs used in the decoration of the vessels resemble those of the later phases of the Mycenaean decorative style and exemplify the decorated pottery tradition of the period. The later phases of Mycenaean culture are noteworthy for the distribution of the culture across a wide area, including the eastern Aegean islands and the coastal region of western Anatolia. The Mycenaean finds from Çine-Tepecik demand a re-evaluation and an extension of the Mycenaean cultural sphere in this period to include Çine (Marsyas).