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Non-invasive archaeological investigation of the area between Gonur North and Gonur South
Starting points and relevance
Following the Margiana-Expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ invitation, the Institute for Archaeological Sciences of the University of Bern (Switzerland) and the EurAsia Foundation are currently conducting a joint research project at Gonur Depe, Southern Turkmenistan. The first stage of the project is planned to last three years and will investigate questions related to urban developments at the site and its surroundings.
Gonur Depe = „Gray Mound“, coordinates 38°21'37''N / 62°03'79''E, is the largest and most important Bronze Age settlement in Southern Turkmenistan and the UNESCO has awarded it the status of a World Heritage Site. It is situated approximately 70 km east of ancient Merw and ca. 80 km east of the present-day district city of Mary in the midst of the southeastern part of the Karakum desert. Other than today, this region, which drew its water supplies from the over 3,000 square km large delta of the river Murghab, was densely populated during the Bronze Age. This area, also known as Margiana, formed the South-Turkmenian center of the BMAC (Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex) that stretched from here over Southern Uzbekistan all the way to Northern Afghanistan. This up until now still largely unknown early advanced civilization with its urban phase between 2300 and 1600 BC and a late phase until 1200 BC was only discovered in the late 1960’s in Northern Afghanistan and stood in close contact with Iran, Mesopotamia and the Harappa Culture.
Position of Gonur Depe in the old delta of the Murghab river in Southern Turkmenistann
First traces of Bronze Age sites in the Karakum desert were noticed as early as the 1950’s. However, the systematic exploration of this area began only after the discovery of this new urban civilization in the 1970’s. Since then, extensive surveys and excavations have brought to light many oases with over 300 large, middle and small sized Bronze Age sites.
Gonur Depe was the most important of these ancient settlements, as it has also produced the longest period of settlement (over 700 years). Furthermore, it looks back at the longest history of research. The site is not only the central place of „Gonur-Oasis“ with its 21 sites, it is also considered to have been the religious and administrative capital of the entire region. In 1972, Gonur Depe was first investigated by Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi, who also opened the first soundings at the site in 1972 and 1974. Extensive excavations have been conducted since 1988 and still continue today.
The site consists of three parts: firstly, a large Middle Bronze Age city (Gonur Depe North), secondly, an associated Middle Bronze Age necropolis with almost 3000 burials to the west of the palace, and thirdly, a Late Bronze Age palace complex (Gonur Depe South). Gonur Depe North, which had been abandoned by then, served as the Late Bronze Age burial site.
General map of Gonur Depe consisting of the Middle Bronze Age City with fortified palace (Gonur North), the Late Bronze Age palace complex (Gonur South, below) and the Middle Bronze Age necropolis in the West.
Aerial photograph of Gonur Depe from the nineties, above Gonur North, below Gonur South.
So far, the current excavations have been focused on Gonur Depe North. This huge area consists of a centrally located, square palace- and temple complex, which was surrounded by a fortification wall, a neighboring, densely built up area with temples, palaces and private residences enclosed by second square city wall, as well as at least two adjacent contemporaneous construction belts with temples, houses, water reservoirs, royal tombs and large workshop quarters. Here, large parts of an oval third and some remains of an assumed fourth city wall have been excavated. New excavations between this supposed fourth city wall and the necropolis hint at a further belt of buildings, the extension of which is so far unknown. It might have reached all the way to the necropolis to the west and to Gonur South to the south.
Gonur Depe North: Fortified palace with adjacent first and second construction belts.
Left: Plan with assumed course of oval city wall, right: reconstruction (Mary Museum)
View of the oval city wall in the North of Gonur Depe North and buildings of the second construction belt
View of the reconstructed defensive wall of the palace of Gonur Depe North with watch towers and remains of residential buildings of the first construction belt.
Goals
Even though Gonur Depe has been excavated for decades, due to the site’s large size, it has not been possible to answer many questions related to its urban development by these means alone. The actual size of the entire city, the respective extensions of Gonur North and South as well as the relationship between them, the number of construction belts as well as the courses and shapes of the assumed city walls of Gonur North, the existence of buildings between Gonur North and South, the character of archaeological remains around Gonur South, the precise structure of the settlement pattern, the distribution of occupied areas, the road network and land use of the oasis generally, and many other issues all remain unresolved.
Areas in the environment of Gonur Depe South with amounts of pottery, slag and remains of old walls on the surface, indicating a still not excavated settlement area.
The joint project of EurAsia foundation and the University of Bern intends to investigate these questions of urban development. The project will examine the so far unexcavated areas of Gonur Depe as well as its immediate surroundings by using non-invasive methods of research, including remote sensing (evaluation of satellite images) and geophysical prospections (magnetics, electric, radar), which allow the mapping of structures beneath the earth's surface (e.g. buildings, roads, channels or furrows), in combination with systematic surveys. The results will all be collected in a geographical information system (GIS). This approach and a close cooperation with the members of the Russian team will allow to address the issues mentioned above step by step and will show the areas that merit further excavations. Due to its methodology, the planned research represents a pilot project, since investigations of this kind have never been conducted at Gonur Depe and its surroundings so far.
View over excavation area 16 between Gonur Depe North and the necropolis with not excavated areas
Partners
Russian Margiana-Expedition of the Russian Academy of Science, Institute for Ethnography and Anthropology Miklukho Maklai, Moscow, head: Prof. N. Dubova
The National Department on Protection, Research and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Heads: Dr. M. A. Mahmedov, Dr. R. Muradov
Institute of Historical Sciences of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Direktor: Dr. G. Orazmohammedova,
National Museum of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Director Dr. O. Mammetnurov
Archaeological Museum of Mary and Archaeological Museum "Ancient Merw" of Bajramali
Project-team
Director: Prof. Dr. Mirko Novák (Bern),
Director of excavations: Dr. Sylvia Winkelmann (Bern),
Field director: Dr. Alexander Pruss (Bern)
Remote sensing/GIS: Alexander Sollee (Bern),
Geophysical Prospections: Christian Hübner and Stephan Giese (Firma GGH solutions, Freiburg / Br.)
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Report on the first campaign of the project "Urban development and land use in Gonur depe"
Dr. Sylvia Winkelmann, University of Bern, Switzerland, Institute for Archaeological Sciences
The first campaign of the project "Urban development and land use in Gonur depe" based on the cooperation treaty between the Margiana Expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Archaeological Sciences (IAW) of the University of Bern took place in Gonur depe, Southern Turkmenistan from 15th to 27th of September 2014. The campaign was provided by the Eurasia Society.
Aim of this project is the reconstruction of the settlement pattern of Gonur depe with the help of non-invasive research methods that could be done independently of and in addition to the already long lasting archaeological excavations to reach new results on urban planning, extension of settled area and land use inside and outside of the so far known city boundary.
The project emerges from the fact that despite of the successful Russian excavations in Gonur depe in the last 40 years large areas of the city are still unexcavated and a full excavation of Gonur depe via traditional excavation work would require still many years and costs. With new methods it should be possible to find the boundaries of city, the extension of buildings outside the so far known city walls and the character and function of the so far non-excavated areas inside of Gonur to know better where it makes sense to do further excavations.
That's why the project started with a geophysical prospection of the city area inside and outside the known city walls in September 2014. The examination was done by the firm "GGH-Solutions in Geosciences GmbH", Freiburg. The geophysicists and geologists made a geomagnetic investigation of the non excavated city area to find unexcavated structures like buildings, walls, pits, graves, ditches etc. They surveyed seven areas inside and outside of the second and third city wall and between Gonur North and South. Overall the prospection was carried out over an area of 92680 m² = 9,28 ha. As a result they received an electromagnetic mapping of the prospected areas whose analysis is still ongoing.
First results
1. In the whole prospected area 65 dipol-anomalies with amplitudes until 60 nT/m could be found. They have a North-South orientation and are partly arranged in rows. These anomalies can be interpreted as high temperature range areas with big ovens/hearth for production of pottery.
2. A system of two long trenches was found in prospection area 2 in the west of Gonur North.
3. Two new round structures that could well be a fire altar or a masonry basin have been discovered in prospection area 1.
4. 161 new graves could be discovered: 152 simple pit graves as well as 9 tombs with special dipole anomalies in east of Gonur North
Quantitatively it was possible to interpret 226 anomalies archaeologically: they include 65 kilns and 161 tombs.
Single results
Fig. 1: Areas of investigation
Fig. 2: Results of investigation - geomagnetic mapping
Area 1
Area 1 is situated west of the second city wall and was investigated to clear the character of the area between second and third city wall. The prospection shows a dense house building along all borders of prospected area that seem to be prolongations of the already excavated areas. The houses encircle a central area without buildings but with traces of large dipol-anomalies that could be interpreted as late kilns. The prospection also shows a so far unknown large circular structure north of the known double round altars. In the south of the prospected area the traces of old channels are visible.
Area 2
Prospection area 2 was situated between Russian excavation areas 13 and 12 and bordered on a cemetery that is actually on excavation in the west. The prospection was done to find the western boundary of settlement in this part of Gonur depe North and to look for possible remains of the assumed city wall. Beside large areas with unexcavated buildings that are a continuation of already excavated buildings of Russian excavation area 12 the prospection shows a large amount of pit graves and furnaces in this area. But the main result of prospection was the discovery of a large system of two long trenches in the west of Gonur depe North. One trench was very long, it first goes 123 m to the north, than turns 10 m to the east and again 63 m to the north. The second trench is 66 m long. These trenches seem to mark the border of settlement in the west of Gonur depe North during period II instead of the expected city wall. The discovery of this trench system is very remarkable as such a system is so.
Area 3
Prospection area 3 was situated between Gonur depe North and South. It was investigated to find or exclude structural remains between both areas. The investigation rendered no buildings between both parts of the city that could allow stratigraphic connections, but remains of structures around Gonur South and a large dipol-anomaly that hints to furnaces.
Area 4
Prospection area 4 between the modern dumps of the west border of Gonur North and the modern excavation house brought no hints to any buildings or other use of this area that seems to have been the old river bed of Murghab river.
Areas 5 and 6
The prospection areas 5 and 6 have been elected to clear the extension of house building outside of the known third city wall in northwest and north of Gonur depe North. The small prospection areal 5 in the northwest of Gonur depe North was elected because of dense pottery layers on the surface. But the prospection did not generate any hints to buildings. Prospection area 6 in the north of Gonur depe north shows some structural remains whose character must be cleared by archaeological excavations and traces of kilns.
Area 7
Prospection area 7 is situated between city wall 2 and 3 in the south of Gonur depe North. The geomagnetic mapping shows a dense house building, many graves and dipol-anomalies (furnaces and big graves) in the so far unexcavated parts as well as the old channel grid and water basins.
Short summary
Fig 3: Results of investigation - interpretation
1. There is a dense building development also in the so far not excavated areas inside of city wall 3, that is only interrupted by some troughs that have been used as water reservoir (prospection areas 1, 2, 7).
2. Also in the north of third city wall settlement remains in form of walls and dipol-anomalies could be found (prospection area 6).
3. There are (assummed late) dipol-anomalies in the whole area outside the palace that hint to large pottery killn/furnaces (areas 1, 2, 6, 7).
4. There a no evidences for an extent of structures in the Northwest and West of the third city wall (prospected areas 4 and 5).
5. Instead of the assumed continuation of third city wall in the west of Gonur depe North a large trench system of two long trenches was discovered that seem to partly mark the western boundary of building area in this part of Gonur (prospection area 2). In the West of this trench system a new burial ground was discovered that possibly belongs to a cemetery that is already excavated by the Russian expedition in the south of this area.
6. There is no evidence for building areas between Gonur North and South that allows reconstructing stratigraphic connections between Gonur North and South.
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Preliminary Report on the Magnetic Prospection Project in Gonur Depe 2014/2015
Dr. Sylvia Winkelmann
1. Introduction
Since 2014, on the invitation of the Russian Margiana Expedition, the IAW of the University of Bern has been actively involved with two projects in the expedition in Gonur Depe. The first entails direct excavations, which are expected to contribute to the reconstruction of the settlement’s high-resolution stratigraphy; the second, however, concerns, the magnetic prospecting of still unexcavated surfaces. The main objective is to reconstruct the settlement pattern of Gonur Depe and its development by means of non-invasive research methods which, independent of and in addition to archaeological excavations, will yield new findings as to planning, expansion, and surface utilization within the presently known city limits and in the surrounding area.
The projects complement each other, not least because the results of the magnetic prospecting indicate those sites where excavation might make sense. This issue is critical in light of the dimensions of Gonur Depe.
Gonur Depe is the largest settlement and the presumed capital of the Bronze Age civilization of Margiana. The city is located 70 km from ancient Merv and about 80 km from the present district town of Mary in the middle in the Karakum Desert. Thanks to the impressive archaeological work of Russian archaeologists led by Viktor Sarianidi, huge areas with architectural features have been uncovered. This includes, for instance, Gonur North, with its fortified palace, temple and worship facilities, and three developmental rings with residential and artisans’ districts consisting of about 35 ha; the somewhat more recent settlement of Gonur South with its new palace and walled settlement, which comprise about 3 ha; and the vast necropolis, covering more than 10 ha.
Despite this remarkable excavation activity, it was still neither possible to archaeologically explore large areas of the settlement, which probably comprise a third to half of the original town area, nor to clarify all urban development questions. These include, for instance, the issue of whether there had been a third or fourth city wall and what its course was (a matter that Viktor Sarianidi was ultimately able to resolve). Remaining questions concern, among other things, whether and how far the urban area of Gonur Nord was settled outside the known city walls; how the settlement area developed between the city walls; whether there was a connection between Gonur North and Gonur South; where exactly the Murghab flowed; whether there were other cemeteries beyond the vast necropolis; and whether there were other settled areas around Gonur South. In short: Is it possible to discover what lies hidden in the undeveloped areas, without having to excavate for another 40 years?
We therefore decided to carry out a magnetic prospection of the areas that still have not been investigated archaeologically. The process was conducted by GGH Solutions in Geosciences GmbH based in Freiburg.
In this prospection, the field in question was inspected with a construction of Förster probes (fluxgate magnetometer) that measured the area’s magnetic field. The method of measurement is based on the magnetic anomalies caused in the normal field by archaeological features and findings. The device detects as corresponding anomalies all structures whose magnetic fields are distinct from that of the natural soil. This may include, for example, archaeological features like adobe walls, ovens, fireplaces, pits, graves, earthworks such as ditches and canals, or recent disturbances due to the modern road network, vehicle and plow traces, furrows, and much else. All these anomalies can be detected up to a depth of two meters and displayed by means of imaging methods in a geographical information system as a grayscale image (magnetogram). Positive anomalies appear in this magnetogram in hues ranging from light gray to white, and negative anomalies in hues ranging from dark gray to black. Examining the amplitudes of the anomalies and their forms detected by the magnetogram yields a wide variety of features: Modern disturbances appear as positive amplitudes of up to + 8 NTM, while fired clay objects such as vessels, walls, or ovens, which undergo a so-called thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) when heating or cooling, appear in the image as a north-south oriented anomaly with large amplitudes of up to +90 NTM. Dry adobe walls are much more magnetic than their surrounding medium due to the organic tempering and appear in the magnetogram as light anomalies with positive amplitudes. Even graves have positive amplitudes, although usually in the range of 20 NTM. On the other hand, earthworks such as trenches, pits, or channels cause anomalies with negative amplitudes. They appear as dark anomalies. The data obtained can then be converted into image files, which provide a meaningful impression of features that still remain beneath the surface.
Christoph Hübner and Klaus Kurz examined the area of Gonur Depe in two stages: first, in fall 2014 (Sept. 15 - 27, 2014), and then in spring 2015 (Apr. 22 - May 1, 2015). In 2014, a prospection was first performed of the inner urban area. A selection was made of three previously unexcavated surfaces inside the city walls (areas 1, 2, and 7), three outside the city walls (areas 4, 5, 6) and one between Gonur North and Gonur South (area 3). Overall, 92,680 m² = 9.27 ha were inspected and mapped in 2014 (total covered distance: 38 km). Two hundred twenty-six anomalies were located and evaluated archaeologically, including 65 ovens and 161 graves.
Fig. Studied areas 2014
This work was continued in the second campaign in spring 2015. Here, another 18 hectares were inspected (corresponding to a total distance of 90 km!). An additional 283 new archaeologically relevant anomalies were discovered.
Fig. Inspected surfaces 2014 and 2015
In this second campaign in 2014, areas under investigation were partially extended to substantiate the features of 2014 and to open up new areas. The work was performed in 5 areas: 1. outside of Gonur North in the northwest, north and east of the third city wall; 2. in the south of Gonur North in the area between the second and third city wall and to the southeast; 3. around Gonur South; 4. to the south of the main necropolis; and, finally, 5. far outside Gonur in an area to the south-east of Gonur South.
2. Study Area 1, Gonur North: Areas 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10
In the area of Gonur North, there were large-scale inspections outside of the third city wall to clarify the question of how far remains of settlements could be found outside of this wall fortification. These studies were highly significant because it was already possible with Russian excavation area 17 to detect a building complex outside of the third city wall that is also part of the settlement in periods I and II. Central to the study of the Gonur Depe’s urban development is the question of how
far and in which direction such exterior building complexes expanded and what character they possessed (residential areas, artisans’ areas?).
To answer this question, areas 4 (to the west), 5 and 6 (both to the north) were extended. The extensions are designated here by 4a, 5a, and 6a. In addition, areas 9 (to the north) and 10 (to the northeast and east) were drawn up again. Like area 6, they encircle the Russian excavation area 17 and are expected to provide information on the extent of the discovered building complex. All these inspection areas not only lie outside the third wall, but also outside the rubble mounds of recent excavations, which appear in the image like a fourth enclosure.
2.1. Areas 4 and 4a
Areas 4 and 4a are between the excavation house and the western overburden mountains of Gonur Depe North. The prospection in area 4 was conducted up to the foot of the overburden mountain in order to determine where it connects to the study area 2 on the other side of the overburden mountain. The aim is to clarify whether traces of settlements exist in this area to the west of Gonur North or whether there are perhaps graves here. Both questions were answered in the negative. The area entirely lacks any archaeological features. The light disturbances displayed by the magnetogram reflect pottery fragments on the surface. The dark shadows in the upper region are recent disturbances due to the steel beams of the excavation house and the flagpoles. With area 4a, the investigation was continued to the southwest towards the large necropolis in order to determine possible extensions of the cemetery. However, the area did not yield any features. The complete absence of archaeological features supports the assumption that a tributary of the Murghab originally existed in this area.
Fig. Areas 4 and 4a in the magnetogram and in the evaluation
2.2. Areas 5 and 5a
The areas 5 and 5a are to the north and the northwest of the third city wall. They were selected for study because the surface shows a greater concentration of fragments, suggesting that buildings might be discovered here. The prospection in 2014 did not reveal any unambiguous architectural features. The extension of the study area to the northeast (area 5a) also resulted in a surface largely free of any features. However, on the northeast shore and where the areas 5 and 5a meet, potential remains of dry adobe were collected. They point to a partial settlement outside the walled area whose age and relation to Gonur North still needs to be determined through excavations.
Fig. Areas 5 and 5a in the magnetogram and in the evaluation
2.3. Areas 6 and 6a
Areas 6 and 6a are to the north of Gonur Depe North. They both adjoin the previously excavated Russian excavation area 17. From there, in 2014 area 6 was conducted up to the overburden mountains that run parallel to the third city wall. Again, the goal was to find more traces of settlement activity outside the city walls and to explore whether the development of Russian excavation area 17 extends further towards Gonur North. Both areas have been greatly disturbed by present-day deportations and transportation routes (shown in brown). Nevertheless, remains of dry adobe can be detected in the northeast corner of area 6 that are directly connected to the previously excavated buildings of excavation area 17 and clearly mark the boundary of the developed area. The remaining area shows no features that indicate additional structures. However, some smaller and larger dipole anomalies (shown in red) can be recognized that point to high-temperature areas, possibly fireplaces or stoves. Numerous anomalies, indicated here to the right in turquoise, suggest the presence of pits, possibly pit graves.
Fig. Areas 6 and 6a in the magnetogram and in the evaluation
2.4. Area 9
Fig. Area 9 in the magnetogram and in the evaluation
Area 9 is located to the north of study area 6, to the east of the study area 5, and to the west of the study area 10 and completes, as it were, the study towards the north. In this area, there is no indication of dry adobe structures.
2.5. Area 10
Most interesting are the features from area 10, which can be divided into two sections: an upper portion which adjoins areas 9 and 6a, and a long narrow lower portion that extends nearly parallel to the third enclosing wall behind the high overburden piles of past excavations, stretching from north to south. This band is 50 m wide and 650 m long. Except for a location that could be interpreted as an ancient path, this long eastern section entirely lacks any features. This shows that the settlement toward the east in this area is not advanced.
Fig. Area 10, overall
Fig. Northern part of area 10 in the magnetogram and in the evaluation
However, in the upper section of area 10, which shows the connection between the areas 6/6a and 9, there are remains of adobe structures at two locations and traces of ancient road courses, previously first documented for Gonur Depe. The building remains found in the upper area are connected to structures detected in excavation area 17 and in the study area 6a and point to a smaller site construction outside the walls of Gonur Depe. The character of the smaller area at the bottom with its two dipole anomalies must still be clarified.
3. Study Area 2, Gonur North: Areas 7 and 8
With the extension of area 7 (areas 7a and b) and the inspection of area 8, it was possible to complete the studies within the urban area of Gonur North. The inspection was carried out on all areas that had not been previously uncovered by archaeological excavations in the Russian excavation areas 9, 15, 8 and 13. Geomagnetic studies were conducted toward the south up to the uncovered building of the Russian excavation area 8 along the third city wall (area 7a). The inspection was extended westwardly up to area 2 in the Russian excavation area 13 (area 7b), which was studied in 2014. An L-shaped area was attached eastwardly with the number 8, which circumscribed the royal tombs (Russian excavation 15) and the outside of the third city wall towards Russian excavation 8. The aim was to determine the extent of the still unexcavated residential or artisans’ areas between the second and third city walls and settlements outside of the third city wall. Signs were found in several places that pointed to adobe structures inside and outside the enclosing wall, which hint at a further extension of Gonur Depe North outside of the third city wall to the south and southeast.
Fig. Magnetogram area 7/8
The most compelling single feature was the discovery of a round adobe structure in area 7b on the western edge of the large water basin: The archaeological excavation here brought forth a circular altar of over six feet in diameter. A second feature discovered during the excavation, a notable anomaly in the area of the royal tombs which aroused the hope of another royal grave, turned out to be a large ash landfill. Both features demonstrate how important it is for the methods to work together, first of all, in order to excavate in a targeted manner and, second, to verify or rectify features.
4. Study Area 3, Gonur South: Areas 3, 3a-3d
The areas around Gonur Depe South were studied in 2015, after a larger area from the southern edge of the third city wall of Gonur Depe North up to the northern edge of Gonur Depe South (area 3) was inspected in 2014 to find or exclude possible structural remains between the two parts of
Gonur. Area 3 was extended to the west (areas 3a and b), to the south (areas 3c and d), and to the east (areas 3d). The aim was to determine whether it is possible to establish the presence of settlement remains or production areas outside the outer fortification wall of Gonur Depe South.
Fig. Study areas in Gonur Depe South
The magnetogram of area no. 3, surveyed in 2014, shows as the most striking feature a large elongated dipole anomaly north of the northern wall of Gonur Depe South, suggesting that it is likely a high-temperature zone. It is possible that pottery or even clay bricks were fired here. The anomaly area is flanked by some lighter circular features, which are pits, or perhaps graves (shown in turquoise in the interpretation below). The remaining ambiguous “Christianly” features in front of the northern side of the enclosing wall do not mark structures that are in the ground. These are large amounts of recently deposited pottery fragments, dating back to the ancient ruins of Gonur Depe South. The largest expanse of the area 3 from the north wall of Gonur Depe South to the enclosing wall of Gonur Depe North lacks any features, demonstrating that there was no structural link between Gonur Depe North and Gonur Depe South.
Fig. Magnetogram of the area around Gonur Depe South with large dipole anomalies
The same picture emerges after the examination of area 3d, which lies to the southeast of Gonur Depe South. This, too, reveals no structures, although it has been greatly disturbed by recent deportations.
Fig. Area 3d with recent deportation trails
Also largely without features are the areas 3a and 3b lying to the west of area 3. At their edges, it is only possible to apprehend four smaller circular dipole anomalies (ovens/fire pits?).
Fig. Magnetogram of area 3b in Gonur Depe South and interpretation
In the southwestern part of area 3b, there are several oblong structures which could be remains of adobe structures. The adjacent to the south could no longer be detected as part of the magnetic prospection in 2015. A simple surface survey shows that the surface toward the south is densely covered with pottery fragments, slag, and brick remains. This suggests that development with residential or production areas was likely in this area. Geophysicists have at least been able to detect the vast expanse of this area, which extends about 500 yards to the south, on the basis of settlement traces.
The features of areas 3c and 3d show that more residential or manufacturing areas are located to the south of Gonur Depe South. In the small area 3c, west of the southeast corner of the enclosing wall, linear structures stand out.
Illustration: Area 3c with adobe structures
The most interesting features were discovered in area 3d to the south of the southern enclosing wall of Gonur Depe South. On the one hand, there are remains of development, which point to a settlement outside and south of the walled area. On the other hand, there are two remarkably large sections in this area with dipole anomalies that indicate high-temperature zones. Running nearly parallel to the south wall is a series of eight circular anomalies, which hint at a battery oven. Extending even further to the south is another large irregular structure, which also belongs to a high-temperature zone. The exact nature of this structure still needs to be determined through an excavation. However, everything indicates that this was a large processing and manufacturing area, where either pottery was fired or metal was smelted. To the west, an old test pit of Russian archaeologists generated thick layers of ash, which resulted in the whole area being called “ash hill.”
Fig. Area 3d with a large battery-type arranged row of large dipole anomalies in the upper area (oven chain?) and large irregular dipole anomalies in the middle area (high temperature zones), surrounded by building remains.
The accompanying interpretation map shows that a clearly extended settlement or area of production (artisans’ quarter) to the south or south-west of Gonur South is highly likely, which can provide important information on the late period of Gonur. The area clearly must be studied further in a future campaign.
Fig. Interpretation of the features from the study of area 3: Gonur Depe South
5. Study area 4, areas 11 and 12
These two areas have been added to the study at the request of the Inspector General of the Antiquities Authority of the Mary velajat. They lie on the southern edge of the great necropolis, east of the manmade channel. The aim was to investigate whether there are other still-undiscovered graves here. After field walking a 50-meter strip, this question was answered in the negative. The necropolis did not continue here toward the south. Both areas largely lacked any features. Area 11 is distinguished on the northwestern edge by a greater dipole anomaly that strongly suggests a high-temperature zone. In the northeast corner of area 12, some bright structures are recognizable, whose character needs to be determined through excavations. If these are the remains of adobe structures, it may reflect the western edge of the settlement of Gonur Depe North. Not far removed are the buildings of Russian excavation area 16.
Fig. Areas 11 and 12
6. Study area 5: Areas 13 and 14
These two areas, which lie far outside and to the southeast of Gonur Depe 1, are located in the region of a presumed satellite settlement of Gonur Depe 1, which is characterized by a low hill with a dense dispersion of pottery fragments on the surface.
Fig. Areas 13 and 14
The magnetogram shows numerous pits or graves and five smaller high-temperature zones, which are likely ovens or fire pits. Unambiguous indications of adobe structures could not be found.
7. Summary
In the previous geophysical surveys from 2014 and 2015, we were able to study an area of 27.5 ha. In 2014, 226 archaeologically relevant anomalies were discovered, including 161 graves and 65 ovens. Following the investigations of 2015, the number of archaeologically relevant anomalies rose to 361. This included the number of ovens, which increased to 68, and the number of graves, which increased to 215.
Here, it was possible to verify further settlement and artisans’ districts in the walled area of Gonur North as well as outside the city walls. Areas with indications of still-unexcavated adobe structures within the proximity of the second and third city walls could already be detected in 2014 in the study areas 1, 2 and 7 and were supplemented by the features from 2015 in the study areas 7a and 8.
Of particular interest are features that hint at smaller farmsteads or settlements outside the fortified city area. They prove that the urban area also partly extended beyond the third enclosing wall to the north and south. However, an expansion to the west and east can be excluded on the basis of the present features. Furthermore, the lack of westward expansion can be explained by the course of the ancient riverbed of the Murghab.
There are indications of individual areas with adobe structures to the north-northwest of Gonur Depe North in area 5/5a, whose age still needs to be determined through excavations. The feature in the northeast of Gonur North near Russian excavation area 17, which is contemporaneous with period II of Gonur North, is unambiguous. The area of this small settlement can be traced further by the prospection to the east and north. For the first time, it was possible to detect in this area (particularly in study area 10) the remains of an ancient path or road network. Between this small settlement complex and Gonur Depe North lies an area (study area 6) where a number of pits hint at burials (perhaps a small cemetery associated with Russian excavation area 17?).
New, larger building plots could also be detected to the southeast of Gonur Depe North outside of the third city wall (study area 8). However, in contrast to the settlement areas in the north and northeast, the buildings connect directly to the walls or the area of the royal tombs. In study area 7b, a circular altar could be detected alongside other building structures which was excavated after the prospection. In 2014, two other circular buildings could be detected in area 1, but they have not yet been excavated.
In the area of Gonur Depe South, at least one artisans’ area could be detected immediately adjacent to the city walls to the south of Gonur Depe South, which has large oven batteries and irregular high temperature zones. A long outstretched area with many surface finds of pottery, brick, etc. points to a settlement to the southwest of Gonur Depe South. It is imperative that this area be re-examined geophysically.
The areas 13 and 14 far outside of Gonur Depe seem to include a small cemetery, whose temporal allocation still needs to be determined.
The investigations in 2014 yielded evidence of a new burial site which is located between Russian excavation areas 13 and 12 and the western overburden mountains and has already been partially excavated our Russian colleagues. Other graves were detected in 2014, particularly in the basin area off the west side of the second city wall and in Gonur South in area 3, before the north wall of Gonur Depe South. Together with the presumed graves discovered in 2015 in the area 6, it was possible to locate a total of 188 graves.
During the investigations, numerous irregularly distributed dipole anomalies (black/white) were detected with amplitudes up to 90 NTM. They show a preferred north-south orientation and are partly arranged in a row. There are a variety of high temperature zones that can indicate both kilns and simple hearths. In terms of size, larger high-temperature zones especially appear to hint at pottery kilns. The largest anomalies appeared in the presumed artisans’ district at the southern end of Gonur Depe South and before its northern wall. Pottery kilns, rather than metal ovens, seem to be in evidence here, as the magnetogram could not detect any slag.
The effort to determine the further course of the third city wall to the west of the city, in the area of the excavation area 13, was unsuccessful. On the other hand, a grave system consisting of two long graves was discovered in prospection area 2. It consists of a 112-m-long grave and a second grave, which in the magnetogram has a length of 121 m. This grave system, which can be dated to period II as a result of the excavation in Bernese section A, appears at this time to have delineated the city to the west instead of a wall. The excavation in section C also proved that the graves of the burial site that begins alongside it are more recent than the grave system. Until now, grave systems of this type from the Bronze Age cities of Central Asia have not been discovered and thus represent a first in the history of architecture of this region.
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The Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan issued in 2016 for no foreign archaeological expedition any license for excavation. The reasons for this ban on foreign expeditions remain unknown. Therefore no archaeological work was conducted in 2016.
Like the other non-Turkmen expedition, we hope to be allowed to resume work in 2017.
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Also in 2017, the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan granted to no foreign expedition licences for excavations.
Outlook for 2018: While the team plans to conduct this autumn some excavations in Gonur, the geophysical investigations will only resume in spring 2019 for climatic reasons.
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