Cult Tables in Anatolian Prehistory: Sapmaz Höyük Findings

Angular and multi-legged vessels, also known as "cult tables", are among the material remains frequently encountered in prehistoric settlements of southeastern Europe. However, the functions of these items remain a topic of debate among scholars. Cult tables, which were recognised in Anatolia later than in southeastern Europe, are particularly concentrated in Thrace, eastern Marmara and western Anatolia, while isolated examples are found in the Lakes District and Central Anatolia. While the cult tables documented during excavations and surveys have been dated to the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, the range of types has expanded in recent years. The regional and chronological distribution of cult tables in out-of-context examples can now be traced through the use of type descriptions based on their forms and decorations. The findings of the Aksaray Prehistoric survey of Chalcolithic period find sites (AKYA) project for the 2023 season are presented herewith. At Sapmaz (Yassıören) Höyük, three examples of cult tables were subjected to evaluation. Since the latter part of the 20th century, the mound in the vicinity of Salt Lake has been the subject of extensive survey work. One of the fragments from the mound is made of stone, while the other two examples are made of terracotta. The finds were identified according to their raw material, typology and decoration. This paper presents a general outline of the typology and distribution of cult tables in the Anatolian context, and evaluates the place of the Sapmaz Höyük examples within the Fikirtepe and southwestern Anatolian types.