Kestel (archaeological site)

Kestel is an archaeological site in the Taurus Mountains in Turkey, with important finds related to the study of Tin sources and trade in ancient times.

Kestel is a probable site of Bronze Age tin mining in the Bolkar range of the Taurus Mountains in Anatolia (near the present village of Celaller, Çamardı District, Niğde Province, Turkey).

In 1989, on the on top of a large natural hill called Göltepe located 2 km opposite the Kestel mine (37°48′04″N 34°56′02″E / 37.801°N 34.934°E / 37.801; 34.934), associates found piles of Bronze Age pottery, close to 50,000 ground stone tools and evidence that this site had been continuously occupied from 3290–1840 BC.

The hill measures close to 60 hectares and is fortified at the summit, with cultural deposition throughout the entire extent of its surface.

He noted that no ores with high tin mineral contents were found; that the ores found may be more useful for iron mining; that the radiocarbon dating provided allows for setting the expansion of the mine in a much later time; that no significant bronze artefact are known from southeastern Anatolia in the Early Bronze Age; that tin extraction with the Kestel crucibles would require manipulation of microscopic slag particles; that Middle Bronze Age Assyrian records point to tin trade - sourced in the east - that extended into Anatolia; that no textual evidence of any period refers to tin extraction on Anatolia.