After the completion of the new Museum in Gaziantep, the then Director, Bay Hasan Candemir, asked the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara to undertake the task of refurbishing and rearranging the material (in the Gaziantep Museum) from the 1949 excavations. It was not until 1986 that the B.I.A.A. was able to organize a team suitable for the work of restoration and refurbishment. Since 1986 two further seasons have been completed in the Museum of Gaziantep: Spring 1987 and Spring 1988. The report here is based on the activities of Spring 1986 and Spring 1987.

The original work at Sakçagözü was, of course, carried out by Professor John Garstang who in 1908 and again in 1911 excavated on the site still called locally Coba Höyük (“mound A”). His aim was to reveal the Iron Age relief sculptures which had been discovered there. During the course of excavation he encountered pottery and other remains which were clearly earlier than the period represented by the sculptures.

Professor Garstang also excavated at Songrus Höyük (“mound B”) and took the opportunity to make trial excavations at Keferdiz Höyük (“mound C”).