The Palaeolithic Age in Turkey (600,000 – 8,000 BC)

This article is one in the Cultural History of Turkey series. For the description of any cultures or tribes please read that article.

The Palaeolithic age in Anatolia (Asia Minor) is a time span starting approximately 600,000 years ago and ending around 8,000 BC with the beginning of farming. It is divided into three distinct phases, namely the Lower Palaeolithic age, Middle Palaeolithic Age, and Upper Palaeolithic Age (40,000 BP – 10,000 BC). These three phases reflect different development levels of humankind, mostly affected by the climate changes (e.g., glaciers).

Humans were hunters and gatherers in this period. They lived in small groups. Men hunted animals (e.g., mammoths, rhinoceros, horses, and reindeer) and women gathered edible plants and roots. Since they depended on hunting to survive they kept roaming, following animals. They lived in caves and also used large rocks as shelters. They made stone tools, mostly for hunting, such as double edged axes and spears. In addition to these, they made other tools and ornaments, such as needles made from bones, figurines made from ivory. They also displayed their artistic side, by drawing pictures on the cave walls. The discovery of fire in this period gave a boost to their development. From artifacts unearthed it can also be surmised that they were the believers of life after death. Improvement of the stone tools and diversity in their utilization in this period are remarkable. Also towards the end of this period they started storing food for later consumption.

Palaeolithic age in Anatolia (Asia Minor) has not been studied well. However, excavations in Karain cave near Antalya showed that this cave was settled in all three phases of the Palaeolithic age. Excavations in different layers unearthed human and Neanderthal remains and variety of artifacts. In addition to Karain near Antalya, Dursunlu site, Beldibi-Kumbucağı, Belbaşı, Kizlin, Oküzini, Yarımburgaz (in Thrace near İstanbul), Ücağızlı, Kocapınar, Merdivenli, Tıkalı, and Kanal caves are known Palaeolithic age settlements.

Sources The Palaeolithic Age in Turkey (600,000 – 8,000 BC)

  • Wiley InterScience Steven L. Kuhn, “Paleolithic Archeology in Turkey,” Evolutionary Anthropology 11:198-210 (2002) DOI 10.1002/evan. 10033, Published online in Wiley InterScience.
  • “The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations,”, prepared by members of staff at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara, Turkey.
  • Akurgal, Ekrem, “Anadolu Kültür Tarihi,” TUBITAK Popüler Bilim Kitaplari, April 2008, ISBN 978-975-403-107-2.
  • Softpedia, “Paleolithic: The Old Stone Age Human Life, from 2.6 Ma to 10,000 Years Ago,” Science Editor.
  • Glossary, English Heritage.
  • GeneleX Laboratory, Common Male Ancestor Test 1, GeneleX Corporation 3000 First Ave., Suite One, Seattle, WA 98121, (800)523-6487.
  • Meignen, L (France), “Middle Paleolithic Blady Assemblages in the Near East: a Reassessment.”
  • Yıldız, Netice, Asoc. Prof. Dr., “The Ancient World: Prehistoric Art and Architecture Magic and Survival, Part 2, page 6-14.
  • Guisepi A. Robert, “An Overview of the Paleolithic Prehistoric Cultural Stage, or Level of Human Development, Characterized by the Creation and Use of Stone Tools,” 2000.

Further Reading The Palaeolithic Age (600,000 – 8,000 BC)

  • Lindeberg, Staffan, “Palaeolithic Diet (“Stone Age” diet,” Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund Sweden, Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition 2005, p75-77.
  • Niven, Laura, “The Role of Mammoths in Upper Palaeolithic Economies of Southern Germany,” Institut fur Ur-und Fruhgeschichte und Archaeologie des Mittelalters, Universitat, Tubingen, Germany.
  • Palaeolithic Archaeology Teaching Resource Box, Palaeolithic Stone Tools: Basic, © Palaeolithic Rivers of South-West Britain Project (2006).
  • Biraben, Jean-Noel. “The Rising Numbers of Humankind,” Population and Societies, No. 394, October 2003. Institut National d’etudes Demographiques.

This article is one in the Cultural History of Turkey series. For the description of any cultures or tribes please read that article.