Area 761
Main Information
| Area ID | 761 |
| Site |
Tepecik-Çiftlik |
| Area type | settlement |
| Area NR | |
| Period | Anatolia: Middle Neolithic |
| Dating method | material culture radiocarbon dating |
| Radiocarbon dated | no |
| Earliest date: Lab Number | |
| Earliest date: 14C age (BP) | |
| Earliest date: Calibration | None |
| Earliest date: 14C age calibrated (BC) | |
| Earliest date: Date of calibration | None |
| Earliest date: Standard deviation | None |
| Earliest date: Delta 13C | None |
| Earliest date: Dated by | |
| Latest date: Lab Number | |
| Latest date: 14C age (BP) | |
| Latest date: Calibration | None |
| Latest date: 14C age calibrated (BC) | |
| Latest date: Date of calibration | None |
| Latest date: Standard deviation | None |
| Latest date: Delta 13C | None |
| Latest date: Dated by | |
| Period Reference |
Özdoğan, Mehmet, The Neolithic in Turkey. New Excavations & New Research. Central Turkey, None, None Bıçakçı, E. - Godon, M. - Çakan, Y. G., , Tepecik-Çiftlik, Istanbul 2012, None, None |
| Comment | This period corresponds to Levels 5 and 6. I am not sure if the period really only covers the Middle Neolithic, because it is called Neolithic Period in the literature, but the previously described period was the Late Neolithic, and the following period is called Early Pottery Neolithic. The earliest horizon of Level 5 is earlier than 6300 BC. |
| Settlement type | tell |
| Settlement structure | |
| Settlement building type | |
| Settlement building shape |
rectangular |
| Settlement building technique | |
| Settlement archaeological features |
kiln waste pit |
| Cave/rockshelters type | None |
| Cave/rockshelters: Evidence of graves/human remains | |
| Cave/rockshelters: Evidence of occupation | |
| Quarry exploitation type | None |
| Quarry raw material | |
| Cemetery/graves topography | |
| Cemetery/graves mortuary features | |
| Grave: number of graves | |
| Grave type | |
| Grave: type of human remains |
inhumation secondary deposition |
| Grave: estimated number of individuals | 60 |
| Grave: age groups | |
| Grave: sexes | |
| Grave: number of female sex | None |
| Grave: number of male sex | None |
| Grave: number of not specified sex | None |
| Grave: disturbance of graves | |
| Description | In Level 5, no household context was found so far. Also, the custom of using open areas as burial grounds (like in Level 4) cannot be observed in the 500 m² large excavation trenches 16-18 J-K. In Level 6, square 17K, there was a probably large, rectangular building. Part of this structure was used later during Level 5 (structure BB), delimiting a quadrangular space of 1,65 x 1,50 m. The building was, at least in later times, used for burials, both primary and secondary, especially in the half in the transition from Level 6 to 5, where approximately 60 burials were found. In this compound, there were two preserved primary inhumations, one under the partition wall that divided the original building into two, the second at the top of the mixed bone assemblage that was piled up in a deposit of more than 50 cm. Some of the dead bodies from the pile were dismantled before being placed inside the building, but some, as anatomical connections still secured by ligaments show, that rearranging and scattering of the bones took place inside the building as well. Only few complete skeletons were found, therefore it is assumed that this place might have been used for clearing primary burials that were removed from inside this "mortuary chamber". In parts of the open space, ashy deposits were found, revealing randomly scattered concentrations of waste obsidian fragments and animal bones --> probably from dumping and knapping activities. An oval, wide but shallow ditch (about 70 m² in trenches 16J-K and 17J-K), extending west-east, was found. It seems to have been used for a long time span in Level 6 and 5 for slow-combustion wastes from kilns (-->thin and white ashy deposits), at the bottom of the fill, there are carbonized seeds and twigs, tuff stones and obsidian wastes; An oval pit (2,5 m diameter, 60 cm deep) was found northern of the large ditch. It was filled up by successive layers of ash and small retouched obsidian flakes. |
| Comment |
Location of the Site
Bibliography
Finds in this Area