Excavations in the KOPAL Area / KOPAL AlanÝ KazÝlarÝ

A sequence was exposed, which revealed 20cm of ploughsoil overlying c. 2m of alluvium, of an Early Bronze Age and later date. The alluvium sealed a buried land surface, which contained finds suggesting a Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic date for this layer. Below this were a number of soil-forming deposits. These sealed a backswamp clay deposit, up to 0.5m deep. The backswamp clay sealed archaeological layers. As excavation continued it became clear that these archaeological deposits filled a number of intercutting pits, which also cut the underlying lake marl. These deposits were rich in animal bones and fired clay objects, though no pottery was found below the backswamp clay.The sequence exposed suggests two phases of prehistoric activity in the area. The lowest phase consisted mainly of the cutting and infilling of small pits. This activity appears to have been contemporary with early Neolithic activity on site. After a long period of inactivity off-site there appears to have been a later phase of use during the late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic.