Abstract:
Nif (Olympos), situated within the borders of Kemalpaşa, Torbalı, Buca and Bornova districts of Izmir,
used to be part of ancient Ionia and Lydia regions in the antiquity. Prof. Elif Tül Tulunay has initiated
first detailed and systematic researches in this region that has comprehensively been investigated
neither by ancient voyagers nor by researchers, as preliminary visits in 1999. Survey has been carried
out in 2004-2005 and archaeological excavations started in 2006 under the direction of Prof. E. Tül
Tulunay. Excavations revealed architectural remains and some contexts related to this structures dating
from Archaic Period (7.-6. c. B.C.). Beside, pottery dating to earlier periods (last quarter of 8th c. BC)
are not related to any of above mentioned Archaic structures. This pottery should belong to the earliest
phase of the settlement that has been destroyed by later layers after 8th c. BC. The above mentioned
pottery dating from the last quarter 8th-7th centuries BC is mainly composed of bird-kotylae and birdskyphoi which are the subject of this paper. According to pottery taken into consideration in the study,
three main groups have been observed in Karamattepe settlement: First, bird-kotylae with four panels
dating between the last quarter of 8th century and the beginning of the 7th century; second, bird-kotylae
with three panels dating from 700-650 BC and third, bird-skyphoi dating from the mid-7th century BC.
This paper is a preliminary assessment, which calls attention to the fact that the distribution of birdkotylae and bird-skyphoi is not limited to the cities in the islands and the seashore but covers some
settlements of the highlands areas such as Nif Dagi.
