Asagi Pinar

Berkay Dinçer

Asagi Pinar was found in 1980 survey. But excavation could start in 1993 as a result of the co-operation with Herman Parzinger from German Archaeology Institute. Today Asagi Pinar is the widest excavated area (over 3000 squaremeter) for the ages 6200- 7200 BP in South-eastern Europe. Also Asagi Pinar is the widest prehistoric site yet known in Eastern Thrace. Neolithic is excavated in a very small area but it is clear that Asagi Pinar is the last site of Karanovo I on the east (yet known).

Two of seven phases are dating Neolithic Age, four phases are dating Lower and Middle Chalcolithic Periods and the last prehistoric phase is dating to Earlier Maritsa Culture. Wood is the main architectural material in all phases of Asagi Pinar and was used in some phases in the same architectural technique and in some phases in a different way. Architectural remains that were found during the excavation are still alive in some regions of Thrace. According to this living architectural tradition, three houses were built on Asagi Pinar excavation area with experimental archaeology methods.

The results that have been reached up to now are, that pottery colour did not change all at once with transition to Chalcolithic from Neolithic and the relation between Anatolian End Neolithic cultures and Thracian Earlier Neolithic cultures should be reviewed. But this relation can only be reviewed with more excavations in Thrace.