“Royal Tomb” at Alaca Höyük, preserved in-situ; dated to c. 2850–2450 BC, several tombs were found at layers 5-8 of the 14 cultural/occupational layers found at the site; the oldest, deepest layers date to the chalcolithic period. Img. Cred. Bernard Gagnon, Wikimedia commons. [2560 × 1707]

[More information available at the Wiki article for this location](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaca_Höyük). It is a fairly well-cited article and some other interesting details about the site:

The mound (Turkish: höyük) measures 310 meters by 275 meters with a height of about 14 meters. The mound features cone like rises at the south and northeast ends. It has 14 occupational layers with 9-14 being Chalcolithic, 5-8 being Early Bronze Age (royal tombs), and 2-4 being Hittite. The uppermost layer shows elements of Phrygian, Roman, and Ottoman times.

Many of the artefacts discovered at Alacahöyük, including magnificent gold and bronze objects found in the Royal Tombs, are housed today in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara. Among these artefacts are gold and electrum standing cups and other vessels. The most unusual are the [Alaca Höyük bronze standards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaca_H%C3%B6y%C3%BCk#/media/File:Sundisk_Alacahoyuk.jpg); bulls or stags on pedestals whose purpose remains the subject of debate. The standards are cast in copper, many in the form of flat circles, half-circles or squares that are filled with an openwork network of cross bars, central crosses, and swastikas.

The site is well known [for its “Sphinx Gate”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaca_H%C3%B6y%C3%BCk#/media/File:Sphinx_Gate,_Alaca_H%C3%B6y%C3%BCk_02.jpg), and for the discovery of a lavish [meteoric iron and gold dagger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaca_H%C3%B6y%C3%BCk#/media/File:Alaca_H%C3%BCy%C3%BCk_dagger.jpg) dated to c. 2500 BC, as well as other [historically and culturally significant finds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaca_H%C3%B6y%C3%BCk#Excavations).