Phase 1: 1993-1997

Geoffrey and Francoise Summers

Kerkenes, the ancient Pteria of Herodotus, is the largest Iron Age city on the Anatolian Plateau, its prominent peak dominating the landscape. Central location provides the key to understanding both its choice as the western capital of the Median Empire and the brevity of its magnificence. Few references occur in the ancient sources: Herodotus locates Pteria east of the Halys River (modern Kizilirmak) and describes it as the strongest place in that part of Cappadocia. The Byzantine geographer Stephanos knew it to have been a city of the Medes. Our research has shown that Median Empire possessed the ostentation typical of ancient empires and put in place a system of control that facilitated consolidation and expansion of Iranian power under the Achaemenids. A new interpretation suggests that Pteria was perhaps founded by the Medes following the collapse of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. If so, it would have been the base from which the 5 year war against the Lydians, culminating in the "Battle of the Eclipse" on the 28th of May, 585 BC, was conducted. According to Herodotus, Croesus destroyed it in 547 BC, following his divinely sanctioned crossing of the Halys, in the mistaken belief that he would destroy the Persian Empire rather than his own. Croesus enslaved the Pterians and chased innocent Cappadocians from the surrounding countryside. Lydian aggression was soon halted by the Achaemenid usurper Cyrus the Great at the indecisive "Battle of Pteria", fought on the plain below.

In Phase 1 of the Project mapping from rectified balloon photographs was completed, geophysical survey showed the potential of remote sensing and test trenches yielded a wealth and variety of information. The fully urban nature of the city was established, the sixth century date confirmed and the final destruction by fire, presumably by the hand of Croesus, was dramatically revealed. The defences were studied in detail. A huge complex of planned public structures was identified on the high southern ridge, including what appears to be a palatial complex, imperial stables or store houses and a stone lined pool. Centrally planned, walled, urban blocks, divided by streets, were seen to occupy the lower area and sophisticated water management was evident. Geomagnetic survey, supplemented by test excavations made in collaboration with Musa Özcan, Director of the Yozgat Museum, revealed architectural forms of Iranian inspiration, high status objects and an exquisite ivory inlay embellished with gold, silver and amber. The great temple, beyond the walls, at Karabas, was recorded and studied. Mapping the surface topography with a global positioning system and magnetic survey of buried structures with a magnetometer held out the prospect of creating three dimensional images that can be combined with both rectified balloon photographs and architectural reconstructions. Processed satellite imagery and regional survey was placing the city in its wider physical, cultural and historical environment.

Methods and Techniques
A helium filled blimp with a camera suspended beneath, triggered by remote control, is used to obtain low level vertical and oblique photographs. High level photographs were taken from the Cloud 9 Hot Air Balloon in 1993. Once rectified these images can be combined with measured plans, detailed topographic maps and geophysical maps.
Topographic survey with a Trimble Global Positioning System (GPS) creates detailed three dimensional models of the terrain surface. A base station is set over a fixed point and roving receivers, set to take a reading every two seconds, are carried at a constant height above the surface. By the end of 1998 350,000 readings had been taken, covering about one third of the city. Differences between the earth's magnetic field and the magnetic field in the first meter below the surface are measured with a GEOSCAN RM 32 fluxgate magnetometer.

Differences between the two magnetic readings may be caused by past human activity, such as the construction of walls, which can seen on the processed images. At Kerkenes a combination of factors yields particularly striking magnetic maps which contain such detail that even the position of burnt door posts can sometimes be discerned.
Test trenches were dug to help in the interpretation of magnetic maps, to discover the function of building types and to solve specific architectural problems. Chance discovery of high status objects was an unexpected and welcome bonus.