We extend our thanks to the General Directorate of Cultural Resources and Museums and to representative Mehmet Sevim from the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. Thanks are also due to the Acting Director of the Yozgat Museum, Mustafa Erdoğan, and Assistant Hasan Şenyurt. In October, we were pleased to welcome the new Museum Director, Mustafa Akkaya. The Governor of Yozgat, Gökhan Sözer, the Directors of the Department of Rural Services, Muharrem Şengül, TEDAŞ, Bülent Gürel, and Türk Telekom, Metin Ay, the Yozgat Mayor, Yusuf Başer, and their staff continue to support the project in many ways. The Sorgun District Governor, Meftun Dallı, and Sorgun Mayor, Ahmet Şimşek, and staff are particularly thanked for their help and generous donations in kind. We are deeply indebted to the Village of Şahmuratlı and Headman Osman Muratdağı.

Main sponsors in 2005 were Lafarge Sağlık Eğitim ve Kültür Vakfı, the Loeb Classical Library Foundation, the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, Melbourne University (International Collaborative Research Grant), the Joukowsky Family Foundation, The (Tyche) Archeocommunity Foundation, the Anatolian Archaeology Research Foundation, John Kelly Consulting Inc., the Charlotte Bonham Carter Trust and anonymous donors. The British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara made a grant towards the cost of the site guard and preparation of publications, the latter also sponsored by the Bernard and Ines Burrows Memorial Award of the Anglo-Turkish Society, ARTI Sistem and ERTEM Printing. Life in the field has benefited from the generosity of AKG, the Ankara Hilton, the British Embassy, the Erdoğan Mustafa Akdağ Foundation, Kavmar, Kamar Supermarket, MNG, New Holland Trakmak, Onduline and Yibitaş Yozgat Çimento / Yibitaş Lafarge. Sokkia-Seza loaned surveying equipment. ESRI, ERDAS, Işlem, Geoscan and John Haigh helped with software and Datasel, Eternal/Hızlı and Cep/Epson with hardware. Research activities, including those related to the Kerkenes Eco-Center, are supported by funds from the Australian Embassy DAP, Canada Fund, Madison Oil Turkey, MESA and Yenigün, channelled through the METU Development Foundation. METU has made office space available, METU Computer Centre provides technical support and METU Press assists with publication.

Collaboration, Team and Support

An agreement with the Oriental Institute of Chicago University was formalised with Scott Branting becoming a Co-Director of the project. Antonio Sagona launched the International Collaborative Research Program with Melbourne University. Claude Brixhe is studying the inscriptions and graffiti while Peter Kuniholm and his team at Cornell University work on the dendrochronology. Collaboration also continues with UC Berkeley, SUNY Buffalo, Laboratoire de Géographie Physique - CNRS, Department of Hydrogeology at Hacettepe University and at METU with the Museum, TAÇDAM, the Departments of Geological Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering and with the Settlement Archaeology and Archaeometry Programs. We would particularly like to mention the participation, during the 2005 season, of Peter Grave, Lisa Kealhofer and Ben Marsh who took thin sections from pottery as part of their 5-year study of Anatolian Iron Age Pottery, and Vicky Ioannidou who is studying the environmental material at METU. Key team members were conservators Noël Siver and Alison Whyte, illustrator Carrie Van Horn, registrar Catherine Draycott and photographer Murat Akar. Geophysical survey was done by Tuna Kalaycı and Nahide Aydın assisted by Deniz Erdem. Elvan Odabaşı, Harun Muratdağı and Pamela Summers shared the responsibility of the administration and domestic arrangements. Aysun Akkaya, Pınar Özgüner and other METU students worked on archives and graphics in Ankara. To them all as well as to the other members of the team, Rémi Berthon, Jessie Birkett-Rees, Ruth Bordoli, Melissa Clissold, David Collard, Megan Cuccia, Tasha Granger, Catherine Longford, Shannon Martino, Kurt Springs, Natalie Summers, Brent Suttie and Bike Yazıcıoğlu, to the house staff and workers from the village of Şahmuratlı, our heartfelt thanks.

The Erdoğan Mustafa Akdağ Eğitim ve Kültür Vakfi (EMA Foundation) is constructing a Centre for research and education at Kerkenes (Fig. 5). This fine new building will contain displays and facilities for visitors and tourists. During field seasons it will be the expedition kitchen and dining area. At other times it will be used for cultural activities organised by the Kerkenes Eco-Center Project and Şahmuratlı Village Association. July 16, a memorable day organised by Yozgat Governor Gökhan Sözer and for which generous contributions were forthcoming, was attended by many dignitaries, academics, supporters and guests. As a final highlight to the season we were honoured by a visit from the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Atilla Koç (Fig. 6).