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Palaeolithic/Epipalaeolithic
Age of Anatolia Turkey
The longest of the cultural periods, beginning from the dawn of humanity until 12,000 before present. We know that during this age, humans were using tools made from pebbles, flintstones, animal bones, wood, etc., and they were living in caves or under rock shelters as 'extended families'. They were accessing 'ready-to-consume' food through hunting and gathering; no food production was taking place yet. Fire was discovered in this age and was being used for cooking, heating and protection from wild animals. One distinguishes Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic subperiods. Epipalaeolithic phase corresponds to times when humans started to control nature, just before the advent of food production.
Yarimburgaz (Istanbul) and
Karain (Antalya) are the most representative examples of the Palaeolithic/Epipalaeolithic sites have been discovered in Anatolia and Thrace.
Neolithic
Age of Anatolia Turkey
During this age the humankind went through a transition from intensive hunting-gathering to food production, from a nomadic existence to settled communities. The Neolithic started around 10,000 BC and it is considered as a "revolutionary" period in human cultural history. During this age, many plants and animals have been domesticated; agriculture has been substituted for gathering and husbandry for hunting. Settled life that came with the food production led to the establishment of villages, and later of cities. Archaeologists divide the Neolithic into the Pre-pottery and Pottery subperiods according the technology of utensils used for the storage and preparation of food. The most significant sites in Anatolia and Thrace (based on artefacts recovered and architectural remains, as well as on the artistic and ritual creativity) are
Çayönü
(Diyabakir), Cafer Höyük (Malatya),
Asikli Höyük
(Aksaray), Kuruçay (Burdur),
Çatalhöyük (Konya) and
Hacilar (Burdur).
Chalcolithic
Age of Anatolia Turkey
The term “Chalcolithic” is made up of two words,
khalkos meaning copper and lithos meaning stone, and is also known as Copper Age due to the use of copper besides stone in tool making technology. Although the recent data has proved that the earliest use of copper dates back to the Pre-pottery Neolithic, it is widely used in this Age. This era is roughly dated to 5,000-3,000 BC and is studied in three stages as Early, Middle and Late
Chalcolithic. Developments as advanced agriculture and animal husbandry accelerated the changes in the social organization of man resulting in proto-urbanization, the establishment of various social groups as priests, craftsmen, etc. and also monumental architecture as temples, ceremonial buildings, defence systems, irrigation systems, long-distance trade, trade of luxurious goods etc. Consequently, such developments ended up with 852 Chalcolithic sites in Anatolia.
Bakla Tepe (Izmir),
Liman Tepe (Izmir),
Hacilar
(Burdur), Beycesultan (Denizli),
Ikiztepe (Samsun),
Alisar (Yozgat),
Domuztepe (Adana),
Yumuktepe (Içel),
Arslantepe (Malatya),
Degirmentepe (Malatya) and
Girikihaciyan (Diyarbakir) are among the important sites of this age to be mentioned.
Early Bronze
Age of Anatolia Turkey
The Early Bronze Age of Anatolia and Thrace covers a period approximately 3.000-2.000 cal. BC. It is characterized by a network of independent city-states cantered on fortified towns and dominated by palaces and temples. During this period new social and religious ideologies, new technologies and modes of production take place. The alloying of copper with tin represents a great step forward in metallurgy. Appearance of cemeteries with rich grave goods of prestige items of gold and silver suggest the existence of division of the society. The Early Bronze Age society developed a long-distance trade which linked the Aegean, Middle East and the Balkans. The Early Bronze Age of Anatolia and Turkish Thrace is divided into 3 phases and it is represented by over a thousand settlements such as
Aslantepe (Malatya),
Alacahöyük (Çorum),
Acemhöyük
(Aksaray), Troya (Çanakkale),
Karaoglan (Ankara),
Alisar (Yozgat),
Karahöyük (Konya),
Kültepe (Kayseri),
Demircihöyük (Eskisehir),
Mahmatlar
(Amasya), Horoztepe
(Tokat),
Ikiztepe (Samsun),
Gözlükule (Tarsus),
Beycesultan
(Denizli), Semsiyetepe (Elazig),
Kuruçay (Burdur).
14C
(Radiocarbon)
The element carbon is present in various archaeological finds uncovered in excavations. These also contain traces of the radioactive isotope
14C (radiocarbon), the density and radioactivity of which can be measured for dating purposes. Since its discovery in 1950, radiocarbon dating has become the principal method by which archaeological, paleobotanical, and geological events of the last fifty thousand years have been definitively dated. All archaeological finds containing traces of carbon can be dated using this method. Items collected for dating are called ‘samples’. Some examples to what can be radiocarbon dated include pieces of wood, charcoal, dried plants, preserved seeds and grains, fabric and strings, animal skin and shells, bones, and food scraps. Note that all of these items are organic in nature (M. Ozbakan).
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