The Early Holocene occupation of north-central Anatolia between 10,000 and 6,000 BC cal: investigating an archaeological terra incognita

Abstract

AbstractThis paper investigates why we lack convincing evidence for human activities in north-central Anatolia for the period between 10,000 and 6,000 BC cal. This paucity of data can be contrasted with substantial evidence for Neolithic communities in south-central Anatolia from about 8,500 BC cal, and of earlier hunter-gatherer communities in that region. This difference in our data is especially problematic because in terms of ecology both regions appear to be broadly similar. In this paper this enigmatic paucity of evidence for the Early Holocene occupation of north-central Anatolia will be scrutinised. In particular, this entails a discussion of the existing discourse on the paucity of evidence and an evaluation of the three types of argument that have been put forward to explain it: first, that the region was not occupied because of unfavourable ecological conditions; second, that the practices of Early Holocene groups in north-central Anatolia have left an insubstantial archaeological record; and, third, that the paucity of evidence is best explained by a combination of the factors of site preservation, site visibility and research intensity. Finally, a research strategy will be proposed for the future investigation of the Early Holocene occupation of north-central Anatolia.