Chatal Höyük (Amuq)

Chatal Höyük (Amuq) is a large archaeological site in the eastern part of the Amuq plain in Turkey. It is located in the valley of the Orontes River, and it was inhabited from the late 4th millennium BCE, and until about 500 BC. It was a large town during the time of the Hittite Empire. In the Iron Age it was a part of the state of Unqi, based at the nearby site of Tell Tayinat.

Many other important archaeological sites are located in the area, such as Alalakh, Tell al-Judaidah, and Al-Mina.

The large acropolis of Chatal Höyük is located on the left bank of the Afrin river, and it was extensively investigated by archaeologists, while the nearby lower town still remained to be excavated. While the excavations of Chatal were very thorough, nevertheless, there were big delays with the publication of the results. Only in the 21st century the complete publication was achieved by the team headed by Marina Pucci.