Ricerc@Sapienza

At the centre of the mound of Arslantepe, a monumental public area dated to 3500 BC was found, composed by 2 temples, 2 food preparation area and five long rooms. Structures are monumental (Temple C is 400m2), with imposing heights, thick walls, white plaster with red and black painted decorations, niches, many replasterings of the floors, and abundant in situ material.
More than 300 whole mass produced bowls were found in Temple C and more than 200 in Temple D. Their enormous quantity suggests that meals with hundreds of people took place here.
The functional composition of the pottery in the common residences of the same period, elsewhere on the mound, indicate a totally different presence of pottery, confirming the commensal events taking place in the temples. In the houses mass produced bowls are a minimal part of the assemblage, that is instead composed of many storage, cooking and serving vessels
The presence and high concentration of sealings (cretulae) in the area indicates that goods (probably food resources) were being redistributed in the Temple area and long rooms.
Craft activities are testified in room A850 (one of the long rooms), where a concentration of ochre, blue stones, near to 2500 obsidian flakes, obsidian arrowheads, pounders, and polishers were found.