The Malatya Plain is a plain in Eastern Turkey, associated with the Malatya Province.
The plain is between the Euphrates valley to the east and the Taurus Mountains to the south and south-east. Its altitude varies between 700 m and 1100 m above the sea level.[1] The plain is somewhat unlevel, with undulating ridges and fells.[2][3]
The climate in the area is semi-arid, because Taurus Mountains block precipitation originating from the Mediterranean Sea. The mean annual precipitation is low (350-400mm), mostly coming from snow.[2] AT the same time, the area is favorable for cultivation due to springs based on water-bearing strata and karst waters, and rivers coming from the mountains and converging into the Euphrates.[2][1]
The plain is located on the Anatolian Plate near its edge by the seismically active East Anatolian Fault Zone and the seismically active North Anatolian Fault Zone.[1]
The archaeological site of Arslantepe is located within the plain, an oasis 15 km south off the Euphrates.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Mechanical investigation on adobe samples belonging to the archaeological site of Arslantepe (Malatya, Turkey) J. Mater. Environ. Sci. 7 (10) (2016) 3656-3666
- ^ a b c p.11
- ^ Yakar, J., A. Gürsan Salzmann, "Archaeological Survey in the Malatya and Sivas Provinces — 1977", Journal of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University, Volume 6, 1979 - Issue 1-2 6 (1977): 34–53