The pottery kiln was unearthed during the 2016 and 2017 excavation seasons at AY 186 trench, located at the eastern sector of the mound. In its archaeological context, the kiln is located in an open court of monumental Building C, discovered to have an almost 30 m north-south extending wall. In the general setting of the settlement, Building C
was unearthed on the western side of the Late Bronze Age temples located at the eastern part
of the citadel. It is also important to note that the exact function of Building C has not
yet been identified. Future research planned at this sector of the mound will focus on understanding the function of the building as well as extensions of the pottery production area.
Trench AY 186 was unearthed in this open court area where the debris is mostly mixed.
Eleven Hellenistic pits were found cutting the Middle Iron Age strata, which so far has created
chronological problems at these levels. Below this mixed strata, a floor level dated to the LBII
was unearthed. The dating of the floor was based on the in situ ceramic fragments, though
radiocarbon dates are not yet available.
During the 2016 excavation season, a rounded feature was traced at the southwestern part
of the trench. In and around this orange-beige, blackish and reddish-colored archaeological
feature, fired mud bricks and fragments (Fig. 3), as well as burnt ceramic fragments and slag were collected. Some non-plastered holes, together with ashy and blackish soil, were
also uncovered. The pottery shards collected from this context were all dated to
the LBII period. The pottery is representative of the standardized forms of the Hittite Empire
period, including simple and flat bowls, as well as plates. Some of the ceramic slag feature microstructural deformations due to the firing
process.
During the 2017 season, excavation at the AY 186 trench, where square VI-IX/e-k was
completely unearthed to reveal the remains of the pyrotechnical installation, continued. Firstly,
it was discovered that the rounded feature is what remains of the collapse of a pottery kiln
dome, which originally featured a rectangular foundation. The heavily destroyed firing cham-
ber (also known as the upper chamber), together with heavily burnt mud brick fragments and
ceramic slag, were recovered at the area. The form of the kiln is mostly lost; however, some
features such as ventilation holes and an ash pit have been detected. The mud-bricks were
aligned linearly. Two holes, one at the northwest and one at the southeast side, were un-
earthed. Based on the alignment of the holes and the accumulation of the mud-bricks, the kiln
spans 2.7 m2, with approximately 1.5 x 1.8 m extensions. The holes suggest that it must have
been rectangular and double decked. However, due to pits containing mixed Iron Age and
LBII debris surrounding the kiln, further attestations could not be made.
In the firing (or combustion) chamber of the kiln, which is approximately 40-45 cm deep,
orange-colored mud-bricks, indicating multiple exposures to fire, were recovered along with
plastered pieces. The plastered mud-bricks are only plastered on one side, except for one or
two small fragments which are plastered on both sides. These mud-bricks must have been the
remains of a perforated floor which separated the combustion chamber from the firing cham-
ber of the pottery kilns.
Recovered at the southern part of the kiln was a 26 cm-wide channel connecting the stok-
ing chamber to a rounded stoking pit almost 1.5 m in diameter. The debris of the pit is com-
posed of blackish soil, ash, some charcoal fragments, and ceramic slag. The floor of the pit
was found to be composed of compacted soil.
The remaining archaeological features strongly indicate that the Tatarlı pottery kiln is an
almost-square mud-brick, double-decked updraft installation. The updraft kilns contained a
fireplace – the traces of which were found at the western side of the pit full of ash16 – where
fuel could be burned and heat generated. The firing chamber of these types of kilns has the
capacity to retain heat and features an exit used for a draft and the removal of hot gases17. The
firing chamber of the Tatarlı pottery kiln could not be identified due to poor preservation con-
ditions, though the orange- and red-colored mud bricks and ceramic slags uncovered during
the 2016 season must have been the remnants of this chamber. The accumulation of in situ ce-
ramic fragments and slag in and around the kiln indicates the abandonment of the installation,
most probably after an improper pottery firing which must have led to the collapse of the kiln.
The lack of any in situ complete pottery indicates the removal of successive firing products
and the discardment of the remaining fragments.
Archaeometric analyses of ceramics and slag recovered around the Tatarlı pottery kiln and
the massive basaltic outcrops around the mound are ongoing18. The first set of samples were
analyzed with scanning electron microscope electron dispersive X-rays (SEM-EDX) and X-Ray
Diffraction (XRD) methods in order to understand the mineralogical and microchemical characteristics of the artifacts. The preliminary results propose firing temperatures of 900-950o C,
as well as possible use of local raw materials (such as basaltic inclusion) in the production of
the ceramics in and around the pottery kiln. These results are in concordance with the up-
draft kiln technology by which kilns can reach as high as 900-1050o C. Additionally, similar
mineralogical research conducted on the Late Hittite ceramics of the neighboring settlement
Domuztepe (Karatepe Aslantaş region of Adana province) demonstrated around 1000o C firing
temperatures and use of local raw materials, including both basaltic rock and soils. This might
show a possibility of the continuity of pottery production by using local sources at Cilicia.
