Ancient Near East, Palaeolithic Period (1000-11.6 kya)

Ancient Near East, Asia Minor, Prehistory: Palaeolithic Period (1000-11.6 kya)

Excavations at Kaletepe Deresi 3 (east of Gollu Dag) have revealed the longest Early Palaeolithic sequence yet to be discovered in Turkey: seventeen stratified phases representing five levels from Lower to Middle Palaeolithic (Acheulean, Clactonian, Mousterian), dated to about 1000 kya.

Yarimburgaz Cave (near Istanbul) was home to both humans and bears. It seems that bears hibernated in the cave during the winter and in the spring when they left, humans moved in and used the cave as a seasonal shelter. Measurements indicate that this arrangement lasted 330-130 kya.

Karain Cave (northwest of Antalya) consists of several interconnected chambers (A-E). Cave E has a long sequence of industries that begins with the Lower Palaeolithic Clactonian (400-350 kya), continues with the Middle Palaeolithic proto-Charentian, and ends with Mousterian incorporating the Levalloisian technique. Human bones have been found including a jaw fragment of Homo erectus type and several apparently Neanderthal teeth. Cave B nearby has yielded a long Epipalaeolithic sequence (18-11.6 kya), with Aurignacian above a recent Mousterian. Okuzini Cave, nearby, contained a long rich sequence spanning Epipalaeolithic.

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