Before it was flooded, Norşuntepe was located on the Altınova Plain near the mouth of the Murat River (downstream from the town of Palu, Elazığ).

Phase II represents the Late Chalcolithic and during its final levels, more complex architecture appeared in the excavated area.

The evidence was discovered at the levels with Ubaid style ceramics, where also were found a number of structures related to the Mesopotamian architectural traditions.

There is evidence for copper production and some sort of palace or large, central building appears at the site in the final phases.

[7] The Early Iron Age at Norşuntepe (1150–800 BC) is characterized by a shift away from Hittite material culture, possibly as a result of the influx of immigrants such as the Mushki.

A cemetery located on the hill top included a burial chamber where three horses together with gear and weapons were buried.

[2] It was excavated between 1968 and 1974 under the direction of German archaeologist Harald Hauptmann as part of the salvage project to document archaeological sites that would be flooded by the construction of the Keban Dam.