Neolitik Kültürün Başlangıcında Körtiktepe
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The site of Körtiktepe in southeastern Turkey is one of few sites in the Upper Mesopotamia basin that attests continuous, permanent occupation across the boundary from end of the colder, drier Younger Dryas (YD) into the comparatively wetter and warmer Early Holocene (EH). This allows for the study of the degree of environmental change experienced on a local level over this boundary as well as for the study of the adaptations that the occupants of the site undertook in response to these changes. The mammal assemblage of Körtiktepe remains relatively stable across the YD – EH transition with the
main contributors to diet being mouflon (Ovis orientalis) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in approximately the same quantities, although the contribution of aurochs (Bos primigenius) increases in the EH. The most significant changes can be seen in the shift in avifauna remains, with a sharp increase of waterbirds during the EH. It is proposed that these shifts reflect changes in the local environment with an increase in woodland cover as well as expansion of local waterways, which is generally consistent with previously published archaeobotanical studies. In terms of species exploited, mortality profiles as well as size
distribution of mammals, a great deal of continuity is observed. This suggests that over this particular period the local impact of the beginning of the Early Holocene was not overly dramatic, allowing for cultural continuity of previously established subsistence strategies.
New research in southeastern Anatolia at Early Neolithic sites has brought a fresh perspective on the emergence of the Neolithic way of life in southwest Asia. In addition to providing more details on the transition to settled life, food production, and technological innovations, this more recent work has increased our understanding of both the time span and geography of the last hunter-gatherers and the earliest farmers in the wider region. Now the picture of the beginning of the Neolithic is more complex and fragmented. This complexity necessitates a multifaceted approach to the questions of the emergence of the Neolithic. In this regard, the data coming from Pre-Pottery Neolithic A sites in southeastern Anatolia, particularly in the Upper Tigris Basin, is remarkable. In this paper the transitional stage to the Neolithic in the region and new data from Gusir Höyük is discussed according to the architectural data.
The excavations of Aşıklı from 1989 through the early 2000s showcased the 8th millennium
BC occupations of the site. Interpretations and evaluations of settlement layout, architectural characteristics, subsistence patterns, and social dimensions of the community have been based mainly on the data from these uppermost levels (Esin – Harmankaya 2007). For some time this was all that could be widely understood about the site and thus the only basis for scholarly discussion. Towards the end of that fieldwork campaign, however, further excavation in Area 4GH revealed the existence of earlier communities with rather different lifeways and distinct forms of architecture. Even so, these early occupations have remained poorly known and, for this reason, have not figured much in regional discussions of neolithization until now. The new program of fieldwork and research, begun in 2010, seeks to understand the whole developmental process at Aşıklı, gathering as much information as possible about the early habitation levels while ensuring data comparability to the Level 2 settlement. The first results of eight seasons of work (2010-2017) at the site provide an assessment of the long habitation history and detailed data on the early stages of sedentism, food-production and community behavior. The mostly gradual cultural and biological changes through this uninterrupted sequence prove that Aşıklı is among the earliest, longue durée formative Neolithic sites in Anatolia.
Auditory exostosis (AE) is a bony anomaly located on the tympanic portion of the temporal bone. Cold water, wind chill, and the effects of temperature are considered to be contributors to the development of AE. It is frequently encountered among surfers, lifeguards, whitewater kayakers, swimmers, and divers. Accordingly, there is a strong relationship between prolonged exposure to cold water and the frequency and grade of AE. For this reason, AE can be accepted as an occupational anomaly.
In this study, AE from Körtik Tepe, Turkey, were analyzed to understand the lifestyle of early hunter gatherer populations from Anatolia. A total of 128 individuals and 174 temporal bones from Körtik Tepe were examined for the frequency and severity (graded) of AE. A total of 45 individuals (35.2%) have exostosis of various sizes. Half of 40 male individuals and 42.5% of females (n:40) have AE with no statistically significant difference between the sexes. First observed in individuals 7 years of age, severity and frequency of AE increase with age. Besides increasing in frequency, the increase in size of AE suggest a continuous and prolonged exposure to cold water.
The people of Körtik Tepe, which is surrounded by numerous freshwater sources, must have been subjected to cold water through activities such as bathing, cleaning, swimming and playing in the water, as well as fishing. Our results suggest that the lifestyle of early sedentary people in Körtik Tepe was rather egalitarian with little or no gender differences and was closely connected to aquatic sources. Bioarchaeological data suggests that Körtik Tepe can be accepted as a community of hunter‐gatherer‐fishermen.
The site of Tell Mureybet in Syria yielded several human remains, partly dated from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (8300-8200 BC), including a skeleton from an incomplete primary burial (grave 3) excavated in 1974. The study of the bones helps us to reconstruct the plausible cause of death, a thoraco-abdominal fatal wound caused by an arrow shot in the chest. This is clearly evidenced by the presence of a flint arrowhead embedded in the 10th thoracic vertebra. The X-rays, CT-scan and 3D reconstruction of the vertebra and the arrowhead allow two hypotheses regarding this death : a hunting accident or a case of interpersonal violence.