This article presents the results of a fabric study spanning a period of the first half of the third millennium BCE (ca. 3000–2400/2300 BCE) pottery from the highland and foothill areas of the Antalya region of southwest Anatolia, a region that has not been extensively investigated from a complementary analytic perspective. A total of 49 ceramic sherds from two archaeological sites were examined using thin‐section petrography, X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray fluorescence to determine their material characteristics. This research utilizes chemical and mineralogical data to investigate different phases of the Early Bronze Age across various landscapes within the same region, aiming to trace raw material selection and characterize pottery production technologies. Hacımusalar Höyük, representing the intermontane highland landscape, shows a selection of tempering primarily based on local geology. Bademağacı Höyük, typifying the foothill settings, also relies on local clay while displaying a broader range of inclusions and tempers. Neither site displayed a significant correlation between ceramic types and temper selections, preparation techniques and surface treatments. Despite the complex geology of the research area, natural inclusions are prevalent throughout the assemblage. These findings indicate that the inhabitants employed adaptive ceramic production strategies by targeting similar geological zones and utilizing comparable technologies, influenced by local environmental conditions and functional demands.

Abstract Crescent-shaped objects (CSOs) are common in the Bronze Age archaeological contexts of Anatolia. Particularly for the Middle Bronze Age, these objects were routinely interpreted as loom weights for textile production. While arguments exist for different uses of CSOs, such as identity markers, receipts for goods, fishing net weights or pottery handles, incomplete data from a fully recovered archaeological context prevent further assertions for the Late Bronze Age. This article presents new data from the Late Bronze Age I (ca 16th century BCE) strata of the south-central Anatolian site of Konya Karahöyük, suggesting an alternative use for CSOs. Konya Karahöyük is a major Bronze Age hub in the Konya plain, with numerous examples of CSOs dating to the Old Assyrian Colony (OAC) period uncovered in previous excavations conducted at the site from 1953 to 1992. The new round of excavations, which started in 2022, yielded a significant collection providing an opportunity to reinterpret the functions of these objects. The CSOs found in association with pithoi and sealings in a grain and wine storage and preparation context offer evidence of CSOs used as administrative devices. We suggest that CSOs of the 16th-century BCE levels of Konya Karahöyük were utilised as a part of an administrative kit, conceivably accustomed to control time or check the capacity of grain and liquid containers. In the Late Bronze Age, a period marked by the advancement of centralised administrative systems, this new layer of evidence suggests that CSOs may have served a function distinct from their traditionally accepted role as loom weights, which dominates Middle Bronze Age interpretations.

The analysis of archaeological objects poses a set of challenges related to the fragility and uniqueness of the material and requires special non-invasive techniques. This article presents applications of Synchrotron X-ray Computed Tomography (SXCT) on archaeological vitreous materials, namely glass, faience, and Egyptian blue. Using five different case studies, we provide protocols developed at the beamline ID10-BEATS of SESAME (Jordan) to understand raw material, production, and degradation of vitreous assemblages from sub-mm to several cm in size. The use of high-resolution 3-dimensional X-ray imaging combined with phase-contrast generation allows to identify and differentiate ancient faience and pigment production technologies, quantify the severity and microstructure of glass corrosion, and assess the fracture and mechanical fragility of large artifacts and assemblies such as mosaics. The combination of SXCT with synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping and X-ray absorption near edge structure allows to examine complementary structural and chemical data of unique examples of the Southwest Asian cultural heritage. The availability of a SXCT facility at the heart of Southwest Asia facilitates and enhances the non-destructive examination and conservation of ancient vitreous materials of the region, proving the relevance of the technique for archaeologists, museums, and cultural heritage specialists. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )

This article highlights the use of synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (SXCT) in examining the production technology of two faience beads dating to 3000 BCE (5000 BP). Through one blue and one green colored sample, we discuss the competence of the ID10-BEATS beamline at SESAME (Jordan) for non-invasive analysis of archaeological objects. We present different protocols for the examination of silica-based objects with sub-cm size using SXCT. The results validate the cementation technique for the production of tiny beads (≤ 1 cm). The application of high-resolution 3D imaging, in combination with X-ray phase-contrast enhancement, allows for the non-invasive characterization of faience production, which opens a venue for broader discussions on ancient technology and technological knowledge transfer among ancient communities in Southwest Asia.

Egyptian blue is the first synthetic pigment admired in the ancient world due to its vivid blue hues. The Assyrian and Urartian architectural designs contain elements rich in Egyptian blue, requiring significant consumption of this pigment in the 1st millennium BCE. This blue-colored world brings questions regarding the manufacturer and potential production zone(s) of Egyptian blue. Of great importance is the possible production zones and techniques outside and besides Egypt. This paper discusses a potential manufacture in eastern Anatolia, around Lake Van during the 1st millennium BCE. This production might meet the demand of the Urartian kingdom and—possibly—beyond with the vivid blue tones of a local version of Egyptian blue.

Archaeological science is a canopy term referring to applications of techniques from the full spectra of natural and earth sciences to archaeological materials for the sake of improved understanding of artifacts and ecofacts in their wider social, economic, political, and environmental contexts. The discipline has expanded parallel to mounting amounts of advancements in technology and instrumentation over the last 30 years and it has benefited from archaeological theory-driven approaches. This entry discusses integrated research approaches of archaeological science and the importance of collaboration between excavation and laboratory teams. It exemplifies how pre- and post-processing of archaeomaterials start during excavation and how archaeologists can benefit the most from the archaeological sciences while excavating. The future of archaeology and archaeological science lies in interdisciplinarily trained scholars, equal opportunities for funding, and theory-driven research agendas.

Land use in archaeological societies has important consequences for ecosystemic changes in the long -term, which directly affect the sustainability of the economy and socio-political organization. In the Near East; socio-political organization, mode of production, and land use patterns diversified spatio-temporally during the Early Bronze Age -I (ca. 5100-4700 cal. BP) when socially complex entities emerged across the region. During this transformative phase, Anatolia witnessed polities of varying levels of organization and modes of subsistence, all of which translate into diverse land use patterns. This research focuses on the results of agent-based modeling to simulate the long -term impacts of land use/land cover change at two major Early Bronze Age sites; Arslantepe (ca. 5100-4700 cal. BP) in Eastern Anatolia and Hacilar Buyuk Hoyuk (ca. 5100-4900 cal. BP) in Southwest Anatolia. Arslantepe and Hacilar Buyuk Hoyuk are situated in different environments (i.e., climate and vegetation), and show different levels of social organization, and economies. Comparing the land use patterns of these two contemporary but otherwise different polities presents important results in terms of our understanding of how land use patterns diversify and what their ecological results have been in the long term.

Environmental, social, political, and economic factors shape archaeological settlement patterns in a region. In the long term, the dynamic interactions among these variables bring changes in settlement systems. Contextualizing the reasons and processes of changes in settlement patterns is also important in understanding how societies might have adapted to environmental perturbations such as progressive aridity. This research reconstructs the long term paleoclimate changes in the Delice Valley of north -central Anatolia through synoptic modeling and compares results with multi -proxy -based paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Recorded cultural remains and environmental parameters were collected from surveys, which scanned 206 sites dating from the Chalcolithic to the Early Iron Age (ca. 6000-2600 cal. BP) in the research area. Our long term assessment of settlement patterns is based on the changes in the environment, the spatial distribution of critical resources (salt, copper), the use of landscape, and the socio-political and economic transformations. We discuss how mitigating behaviors of archaeological societies in the face of persistent aridification might be reflected in the settlement pattern changes at Delice Valley. During the Chalcolithic period, settlements were scattered, reflecting the formative stage of socio-political organization. In the Early Bronze Age (EBA), settlements became clustered due to the emergence of chiefdoms, marking a shift towards centralized social structures and intensive resource use. However, in the Iron Age, sites were less clustered as the Hittite Empire dissolved, leading to the rise of local selfgoverning socio-political groups. This period represented a transition from a complex centralized entity to smaller, localized polities. The results demonstrate a multitude of factors contributing to the long term evolution of settlement systems, especially the socio-political organization and economic concerns such as modes of subsistence, resource use, and long-distance trade. Concurrent with diverging settlement patterns at Delice Valley, other parts of Central Anatolia were going through major socio-political transformations.

Researching at previously excavated archaeological sites comes with its own challenge set, which includes ground-truthing previously unearthed architectural features to correlate old and new trenches. This study presents a comprehensive examination technique to approach architectural features at mound-type archaeological settlements through the synergistic utilization of thermal and optical imagery obtained via remote sensing technologies. Employing an interdisciplinary approach involving various types of imagery (optical, thermal, and radar) embedded in archaeological data, this research aims to reevaluate legacy spatial data and enhance the understanding of subsurface archaeological features by exploiting the complementary advantages of both thermal and optical sensors.This study involves the acquisition, processing, and integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based thermal and optical datasets to derive a complete representation of archaeological landscapes. Ground-truthing and validation exercises are incorporated to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the results. The results contribute to advancing the field of archaeological remote sensing and highlight the significance of integrating diverse sensing modalities for a comprehensive and nuanced interpretation of archaeological landscapes. The techniques exemplified with two mound-type case sites help to generate high-resolution mappings which provide tools to increase the accuracy of on-site legacy data and help digital protection of the sites by generating digital twins. This presents a less costly method than conventional photogrammetric techniques, making it feasible and advantageous for field archaeologists or researchers dealing with legacy spatial data.

This paper presents the results of chemical and petrographic investigations on the late chalcolithic (ca. 3700-3300 BCE) pottery from the Burdur Lake region in southwest Anatolia (Turkiye). Twenty-one ceramic sherds and a clay lump from four different levels of the late chalcolithic site of Kurucay Ho center dot yuk (Burdur) were examined with thin section petrography, XRF, and XRD to illuminate the element and mineral compositions of the ceramics. The chemical compositions and their statistical evaluation demonstrate the continuous use of at least two local clay sources within each different phase of the late chalcolithic. While sources stay the same, petrographic thin section analysis implies a change in the clay preparation techniques. This is visible via the homogeneity of the clay matrix and the existence of shell and lithic inclusions in the paste. About the end of the late chalcolithic period, clay preparation appears to be enhanced conceivably with the changing technological setting of the period toward the early bronze age.

The procurement and use of salt in Anatolia has received limited scholarly attention despite its abundance in the region. This study synthesizes geological, archaeological, ethnoarchaeological, and textual data to assess the role of salt within the socioeconomic setting of the third and early second millennia bc (c. 3000–1730 bc) in Anatolia. The easy accessibility of rock salt and saltpans ranks salt lower among the strategically controlled materials of the era. The author argues that the early non-state Anatolian communities’ strategy for obtaining and distributing this salt was community-driven. Unlike societies in Mesopotamia and Europe, for which the production and distribution of salt contributed significantly to their political economy, salt never became a prestige good, nor did it contribute to the accumulation of wealth in Bronze Age Anatolia.

This paper presents the compositional results of one stone and six faience beads together with five metal pin fragments from Bas,ur Ho center dot yuk, southeast Turkiye in order to preliminarily evaluate possible source and production regions. Dating to the Early Bronze Age I (ca. 3100-2900 BCE), the samples are part of burial contexts with more than 100,000 beads, hundreds of metal objects, and evidence of human sacrifice. The microstructures of blue and greenish-blue faience beads indicate the application of cementation and efflorescence techniques. The variations in mineral compositions and differences in production techniques of the faience beads indicate Bas,ur Ho center dot yuk's access to at least two production centers for faience beads. Pins were made of copper and arsenical copper. Lead isotope analysis on metals indicates possible ties to Iran. Evaluated with further archaeological data from the site, consumption of copper from the Kerman and Sistan regions demonstrate the earliest evidence of the longdistance trade of southeast Anatolia with southeast Iran feasibly via southern Mesopotamian or Diyala region networks. This indicates considerable connectivity and organization in the aftermath of the Uruk collapse and shows both sophisticated technical knowledge and shared aesthetic values between regions.

Geophysical prospection and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were applied systematically to improve excavation strategies. Magnetic results were verified using GPR in the suitable areas.

New excavations at Espidej at the Kerman Province of the Halil Basin corridor in Iran offer a unique opportunity to reconsider the third millennium BC (i.e. Bronze Age) metallurgical practices related particularly to arsenical copper (Cu‐As) alloying and to explore arsenic‐bearing raw materials. This paper presents results of optical microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) on a selected group of copper‐based artefacts from Espidej. Additionally, we have benefited from synchrotron light for further investigations on a dagger sample. The scientific examinations on metal corpora adds new information regarding the microchemistry and production techniques of metals of the south‐eastern cultural zone of Iran. Synchrotron micro X‐ray diffraction (SR‐μXRD) data of the sample demonstrates traces of arsenic‐bearing minerals in the corrosion products indicative of types of ores used in alloying processes. Preliminary research on copper ores indicates possible extraction of local ore deposits that were outcropped along the south‐east Makran orogeny zone of Iran. This area is part of hydrothermal mineralization zone consisting of arsenopyrite (FeAsS), sinnerite (Cu6As4S9), bornite (Cu5FeS4) and algodonite (Cu6As). Noticeable arsenic‐bearing phases within the metallic core of the sample were frequently characterized as sinnerite and algodonite.

This article reviews the Ban Chiang, Northeast Thailand, Volumes 2A, 2B, and 2C edited by Joyce C. White and Elizabeth G. Hamilton with the aim of bringing a new perspective to the understanding of archaeometallurgy in Anatolia. Regardless of specific subject focus such as geology, geomorphology, archaeology, or anthropology, any scholar interested in the field of archaeometallurgy will find a comparanda of their research in the Thai archaeology monograph volumes. White and Hamilton suggest a new paradigm favoring diversity and an anthropological technology-driven model for archaeometallurgical research, which I believe presents an excellent case to change and revise the presumptions of scholars studying metals' role in ancient Anatolia.

This article presents evidence of primary glass production from the Late Bronze Age (LBA) levels of the site of Alalakh /Tell Atchana. Situated at the northern extremity of the Levant, the site is already known in the literature as one that has produced rich and diverse glass artifacts. Investigations using scanning electron microscopy, synchrotron contrast, and diffraction tomography of a crucible fragment found in a multi-craft workshop context have confirmed that glassmaking occurred. This new and unique analytical evidence contributes the first data from a Syro-Levantine area to the discussions of early glassmaking centers. Prior studies on the origin of glass, have given significant credit to Mesopotamia as the center of innovation, particularly because of the textual records and examples of early glass objects from the region. The current study also addresses the relationships and potential mismatches between textual and archaeological evidence. The discovery in Alalakh of a glassmaking crucible provides, for the first time, evidence for LBA glassmaking outside of Egypt and the core area of Mesopotamia, and it can be linked to descriptions of glassmaking in cuneiform tablets. We open a fresh avenue for scrutinizing and combining archaeological, textual, and scientific evidence for centers of innovation.

This article discusses the socioeconomic dynamics of metal consumption patterns in the 3 rd millennium BC north-central Anatolian site of Resuloğlu (Çorum, Turkey). The socio-political structure of the site confirms a nonstate, socially complex community with a range of hierarchical and heterarchical expressions. This study presents the results of archaeological, compositional (n = 307), and isotopic (n = 45) analyses of the complete metal collection of Resuloğlu uncovered through two decades of systematic excavations with a well-established chronology. The elemental compositions of metal objects obtained with pXRF combined with lead isotope analysis denote a high diversity in alloy types and sources. The compositional analysis highlights the consumption of various binary and ternary alloys for different object types. The lead isotope ratios confirm the use of both in proximity to metallic sources and access to macro-regional trade extending from the Black Sea coast towards the Taurus Mountain range. The site appears as a part of linkages whereby goods and valuables were exchanged within decentralized networks of middle-range societies. The diversity in metal consumption suggests group-driven choices and networks rather than top-down control of social elites. This allows us to confront the conventional approach to the role of metals as the primary motivator for social complexity and inequality in all parts of the 3 rd millennium BC Anatolia.

Previous articleNext article No AccessSymbolism in 13th-century bc Hittite Metallurgy: The Kastamonu-Kınık (Turkey) Metal Hoard, AgainTayfun Yıldırım, Nimet Demirci Bal, and Gonca DardenizTayfun YıldırımAnkara University Search for more articles by this author , Nimet Demirci BalAnkara Anatolian Civilizations Museum Search for more articles by this author , and Gonca DardenizIstanbul University* Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull TextSupplemental Material Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Journal of Near Eastern Studies Volume 80, Number 1April 2021 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/713073 Views: 322Total views on this site © 2021 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.