ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANALYTICAL INVESTIGATION OF A NEW NEOLITHIC SITE IN WESTERN ANATOLIA: EKŞI HÖYÜK (DENIZLI, TURKEY)

Abstract

Archaeological excavations in the western half of Anatolia in the Lake District and the Aegean coast had provided significant findings on how and when the Neolithic lifestyle emerged in these regions. However, until the beginning of archaeological excavations at Ekşi Höyük, our knowledge about the Neolithisation of the Upper Menderes Basin, which lies between these two regions, was limited to the Neolithic settlements identified during surface surveys. With the start of excavations at Ekşi Höyük, one of the oldest known settlements in Western Anatolia, it became clear how and when the Neolithic lifestyle emerged in the region. The excavations at Ekşi Höyük have also provided detailed information on the diet, raw material use, division of labour and specialisation of Neolithic communities in the Upper Menderes Basin. This paper presents the results of these excavations between 2015 and 2020. A combination of locus and code systems was adopted to record fieldwork, and vector drawing software was used for digitising finds and architectural remains. The distribution of finds and analyses of site use was carried out using GIS software. The ceramics' internal and external surface colours were measured with spectrocolorimetry equipment, and the additives were determined by macroscopic observations. Chipped stone finds were analysed typologically, and macroscopic observations were used to identify obsidian sources. Animal remains are presented statistically by species and age. The demographic distribution of the human remains and the identified diseases are presented.