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

This period in Turkish history is distinguished by a major life style change in human history. The Neolithic men transitioned from being nomads to settlers. They settled and created villages instead of just hunting and gathering.

Humans of this period knew how to farm, grow wheat and make flour. Flour was made by grinding wheat between two basalt pieces1. They also engaged in animal husbandry. In addition to wheat they were growing barley and lentil. The main domesticated animals were dog, goat, sheep, and cattle.

In Neolithic period humans developed ceramic making techniques2. Pottery became common. Trading started. Due to these developments human population increased. Extensive use of obsidian3 became common. It was used mainly to make cutting tools. Because of its usefulness, it also became an important trade commodity. Anatolia (Asia Minor) was rich in obsidian. One of the known obsidian deposits is in Kaletepe near Nigde4.

The Neolithic men chose lowlands and places near the rivers to settle. The other consideration in choosing the locations was defensibility. Their villages comprised of a few houses with no streets between them5. Houses had a rectangular shape with no doors but only small openings close to the roof. The dwellers were entering and leaving houses with ladders from the roof. In the middle of the village there was a place for preying – a small shrine. The rooms have some kind of sofa like seating arrangement used for both seating and burying the dead underneath. The walls were decorated with beautiful frescoes, some of which even showing some scenery. One such example is the active volcanic mountain scene in Çatalhöyük near Konya. Other depictions were hunting events, dancing scenes, and variety of human and animal pictures.

Neolithic men also buried their dead in open areas between buildings, similar to present cemeteries. One such cemetery was discovered in the big square of Ilıpınar’s excavation site, with 48 caves6.

In this period gods and religion were important part of humans’ lives. One of the most common sculpture type was the depiction of Mother-Goddess. Mother-Goddess statuettes were depicting women in all types of situations, mostly nude; laid down, squatting. Especially giving birth was a common motif among the excavated Mother-Goddess statuettes. In addition to Mother-Goddess, bull and oxen were revered and honored in the religious ceremonies. One of the reasons might be that they were used to till the soil so they, like Mother-Goddess, were the source of life.

The known Neolithic settlements in Anatolia (Asia Minor) are Çayönü, Çatalhöyük, Hacılar, Norşuntepe, Köşk Höyük, and the Elazığ area. In the Elazığ area Neolithic sites are Kalaycık near Arapkir creek, Pulur, Tepecik near Altınova, Caferhöyük7 near Malatya8 and Mersin-Yumuktepe9.

Recently started excavations in the Ilısu Dam Lake (on Tigris) area – Boztepe, Gre Dimse, Hasankeyf, Ziyarettepe, Gricano, Kortik Tepe, Müslüman Tepe, Kenan Tepe, Salat Tepe, Aşağı Salat Tepe – are promising. Artifacts were found from the Neolithic period in aceramic Kortik Tepe. Excavations in Hakemi Use Tepe from Early Chalcolithic-Late Neolithic periods might increase our knowledge about Early Chalcolithic and Neolithic periods in this area. Unfortunately the Ilısu Dam will flood the area and all these sites will be inundated when the dam is put into service10.

Sources

1. “The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations,” Prepared by members of staff at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara, Turkey.
2. Akurgal, Ekrem, “Anadolu Kültür Tarihi,” TÜBİTAK Popüler Bilim Kitaplari, April 2008, ISBN 978-975-403-107-2.
3. Yiğit, Turgut, Dr. “Tarih Öncesi ve Hitit Döneminde Isuwa Bölgesi.”
4. Caneva, Isabella, “The 2003 Excavation Campaign at Mersin-Yumuktepe,” excavation reports.
5. Köroğlu, Gülgün, “Excavations at Mersin Yumuktepe Höyüğü in 2006,” excavation reports.
6. Kimyonok, Tahsin, “Anadolu’nun Neolitik Sanatı,” Üniversite ve Toplum, June 2005.
7. Ercan, Mehmet Ali, “Geçim Tarzları,” Karacabey Anadolu Lisesi.
8. Başgelen, Nezih, “A unique global heritage starting to count its remaining days: Hasankeyf and Tigris Valley,” Arkeolog/Editor-Archaeologist/Editor, September-October 2006, No. 17, Arkeoloji /Anıt-Çevre/Archaeology/Monument-Environment.
9. Başgelen, Nezih, “Anatolia’s Matchless Civilization Period in which Ceramic was Invented and Developed: Neolithic Age,” Editor-Archaeologist/Editor, January-February 2006, No. 13, Archaeology/Monument-Environment.
10. Roodenberg, Songül Alpaslan, “The Neolithic Cemetery, The Anthropological View,” Chapter 2.

Further Reading

1. Balkan-Atlı, Nur, Kayacan, Nurcan, Ozabasan, Mihriban, yıldırım, Semra, “Variability in the Neolithic Arrowheads of Central Anatolia (Typological, Technological, and Chronological Aspects),” University of İstanbul, Pre-history Section. I Caneva, C. Lemorini, D. Zampetti, and P. Biagi (eds), Beyond Tools, Senepse 9 (2001), Berlin, ex oriente.
2. Akın, Galip, Prof. Dr., “Başlangıçtan Günümüze Yaşlının Aile ve Toplumdaki Statüsü,” (Yaşlı Sorunlarını Araştırma Derneği Üyesi) Ankara Üniversitesi, D.T.C.H. Fizik ve Paleoantropoloji Bölümü, Editöre Mektup.
3. Harmankaya, Şavaş, Dr., “Türkiye Neolitik Araştırmaları Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme.”
4. Harmankaya, Ş.- O. Tanındı – M. Özbaşaran, TAY – Türkiye Arkeolojik Yerleşmeleri-2: Neolitik, Ege Yayınları, Takım ISBN 975-807-003-7, Cilt ISBN 975-807-010-X, İstanbul, 1997.

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