I    Chronology

The chronology of the material culture and also the history of Cilicia are only poorly understood yet. Therefore, new finds—archaeological and inscriptional—can well contribute to the archaeology of Cilicia in general and shed new light on historical questions. The renewed excavations at Sirkeli Höyük contribute to a better understanding of this complex and yet fascinating archaeological area

II   Settlement System and Historical Topography

Another objective is the complete reconstruction of the site‘s ancient settlement system and its chronological and historical development. When was the city settled? What was the settlement‘s layout and its urban structure? How was the settlement structured? In this regard, also the analysis and reconstruction of the surrounding settlement system is of great importance. This can be achieved by incorporating older archaeological data from surveys that were carried out by Seton-Williams, Hrouda and Salmeri. In addition, a new survey of the environment of Sirkeli Höyük—conducted by staff members of the joint research project—is planned. Hopefully, on the basis of these results the discussion about the historical topography will be resumed.

III  Cultural Contacts of Cilicia with Neighboring Regions

The third objective is concerned with the cultural contacts between Cilicia and its neighboring regions. The following aspects are of importance in this respect:

(a) What influences of the different neighboring regions and cultures (Syria, Anatolia, Cyprus, Aegean and the Northern Levant) can be detected in Cilicia‘s own material culture?

(b) What is the exact role of Cilicia as a cultural ›transmitter‹ and ›mediator‹ between the different cultural regions?

 

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