özlem çevik - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by özlem çevik

Praehistorische Zeitschrift, Mar 23, 2023

Concluding the Neolithic, 2019

While the materiality of Neolithic identities in the Near East and in the Europe has been address... more While the materiality of Neolithic identities in the Near East and in the Europe has been addressed widely, materiality in relation to the neolithization of western Turkey has not. The matter is treated as if the process was already completed in the East and the Neolithic communities of western Turkey were simply the final or replicated form what had been evidenced in the east. With its well-preserved building sequence, covering a time period spanning more than a thousands years (6850 cal BC), Ulucak Höyük now provides us with an opportunity to discuss how Neolithic communities in western Turkey negoti- ated their identities as well as to trace potential transformations by way of constructing these identities through the Neolithic period. Ultimately, this article suggests that the me- dia which played an crucial role in construction of social relations and identities in Ulucak were shifted from the communal buildings to the newly emerged intermingling set of new objects in the late seventh millennium.

Documenta Praehistorica

In this investigation we detail the results of a systematic analysis of worked animal bone from U... more In this investigation we detail the results of a systematic analysis of worked animal bone from Ulucak, one of the earliest Neolithic sites in western Anatolia. The collection exhibits a wide range of types, including points, needles, spatulas, bevelled tools, perforated objects, and other unique objects. A study of the raw material shows a preference for sheep and goat long bones, while large-sized animal rib bones were also utilized. Manufacturing techniques employed included splitting, grooving, and abrasion, while a contextual analysis of the material underscores an intricate connection with other objects made from stone and clay. Items found in buildings relate to textile, leather, and ceramic production, while personal ornaments may have played a part in abandonment rituals. Examination of this assemblage is understood as a common set of regional tool types with some localized variations.

Blömeke Druck SRS GmbH, Herne, 2016

Arkeoloji dergisi, Dec 15, 2020

Anatolia Antiqua, 2019

La loi du 11 mars 1957 n'autorisant, aux termes des alinéas 2 et 3 de l'article 41, d'une part, q... more La loi du 11 mars 1957 n'autorisant, aux termes des alinéas 2 et 3 de l'article 41, d'une part, que les "copies ou reproductions strictement réservées à l'usage privé du copiste et non destinées à une utilisation collective" et, d'autre part, que les analyses et les courtes citations dans un but d'exemple et d'illustration, "toute" représentation ou reproduction intégrale, ou partielle, faite sans le consentement de l'auteur ou de ses ayants droit ou ayants cause, est illicite (alinéa 1er de l'article 40). Cette représentation ou reproduction, par quelque procédé que ce soit, constituerait donc une contefaçon sanctionnée par les articles 425 et suivants du Code Pénal.

Documenta Praehistorica, 2020

It has been increasingly clear that pottery was adopted as a continuous technology during the fir... more It has been increasingly clear that pottery was adopted as a continuous technology during the first quarter of the 7th millennium BC in a wide region, from Upper Mesopotamia through Central Anatolia and the Lakes District region. However, the absence of pottery in the basal level at Ulucak Höyük shows the presence of a pre-ceramic sequence in western Anatolia, before c. 6600/6500 cal BC. This article discusses the earliest pottery assemblage from Ulucak (6600/6500–6200 cal BC) and compares it with the later ceramic sequences at the site. Ultimately, the functional and typological developmental sequence of Neolithic pottery at Ulucak Höyük and its temporo-spatial relations with other Neolithic sites in Anatolia will be assessed.

A total of sixty-five radiocarbon dates from Ulucak Höyük, including charcoal and short-lived spe... more A total of sixty-five radiocarbon dates from Ulucak Höyük, including charcoal and short-lived species taken from Level VI–Level III, clearly prove a long history of occupation at the site, from 6850 cal. BC to 5460 cal. BC. Based on this radiocarbon seriation, this article explores the origins of sedentary life its gradual transformation, and abrupt changes at the site. A discussion of the sequence of events is also presented within a regional framework. Ulucak Höyük is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming and animal husbandry in the Aegean. Archaeological materials and radiocarbon dates confirm the existence of initial Neolithic layers, ca. 6850 cal. BC. Radiocarbon dates suggest that occupation between Ulucak VI and V continued without a gap. However, a gradual transformation has been observed starting from Level Vb onwards, which overlapped more or less with the 8.2 ka Climate Event. After a short gap between the Late Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic, an abrupt chan...

Altorientalische Forschungen, 2000

Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia 8,500 BC. They t... more Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia 8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East and westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European pigs were either domesticated independently or more likely appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced pigs and European wild boar. As a result, European wild boar mtDNA lineages replaced Near Eastern/Anatolian mtDNA signatures in Europe and subsequently replaced indigenous domestic pig lineages in Anatolia. The specific details of these processes, however, remain unknown. To address questions related to early pig domestication, dispersal, and turnover in the Near East, we analyzed ancient mitochondrial DNA and dental geometric morphometric variation in 393 ancient pig specimens representing 48 archeological sites (from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to the Medieval period) from Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Our results reveal the first genetic signat...

Molecular Biology and Evolution, Nov 22, 2012

Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia∼ 8,500 BC. They ... more Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia∼ 8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East and westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European pigs were either domesticated independently or appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced pigs and European wild boar. These pigs not only replaced those with Near Eastern signatures in Europe, they subsequently also replaced indigenous domestic pigs in the Near East. The ...

Anatolia Antiqua, 2019

Avant-propos; Aksel was an exceptional friend and colleague who will be deeply missed by all who ... more Avant-propos; Aksel was an exceptional friend and colleague who will be deeply missed by all who knew him. His sudden loss made us all very sad. Aksel was loved so much that it is hard to believe that he is no longer with us. He will always remain within our hearts.

Sheep was among the first domesticated animals, but its demographic history is little understood.... more Sheep was among the first domesticated animals, but its demographic history is little understood. Here we present combined analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear polymorphism data from ancient central and west Anatolian sheep dating to the Late Glacial and early Holocene. We observe loss of mitochondrial haplotype diversity around 7500 BCE during the early Neolithic, consistent with a domestication-related bottleneck. Post-7000 BCE, mitochondrial haplogroup diversity increases, compatible with admixture from other domestication centres and/or from wild populations. Analysing archaeogenomic data, we further find that Anatolian Neolithic sheep (ANS) are genetically closest to present-day European breeds, and especially those from central and north Europe. Our results indicate that Asian contribution to south European breeds in the post-Neolithic era, possibly during the Bronze Age, may explain this pattern.

Anatolian Studies

This article focuses on the Initial Neolithic (ca 6850–6500 cal. BC) lithic assemblages of Ulucak... more This article focuses on the Initial Neolithic (ca 6850–6500 cal. BC) lithic assemblages of Ulucak and Uğurlu in the Aegean region of Turkey. Ulucak and Uğurlu are among the earliest Aegean Neolithic sites, and their lithic industries were managed with specific traditions and skills, quite different from what we know of the industry for other regions such as central Anatolia, Cyprus and the Levant, and even some other areas of the Aegean. This article presents the results of the study of the chipped-stone assemblages of Ulucak and Uğurlu, and aims to demonstrate how they contribute to wider theories about the Neolithisation of the Aegean.

Science (New York, N.Y.), Jul 6, 2018

Current genetic data are equivocal as to whether goat domestication occurred multiple times or wa... more Current genetic data are equivocal as to whether goat domestication occurred multiple times or was a singular process. We generated genomic data from 83 ancient goats (51 with genome-wide coverage) from Paleolithic to Medieval contexts throughout the Near East. Our findings demonstrate that multiple divergent ancient wild goat sources were domesticated in a dispersed process that resulted in genetically and geographically distinct Neolithic goat populations, echoing contemporaneous human divergence across the region. These early goat populations contributed differently to modern goats in Asia, Africa, and Europe. We also detect early selection for pigmentation, stature, reproduction, milking, and response to dietary change, providing 8000-year-old evidence for human agency in molding genome variation within a partner species.

Anatolian Studies, 2007

The second half of the third millennium BC has generally been accepted as the period in which urb... more The second half of the third millennium BC has generally been accepted as the period in which urbanisation took place in Anatolia. Prominent sites of this period are described by scholars as ‘towns’, ‘town-like settlements’, ‘city-states’ and ‘proto-city-states’. The use of a variety of terms for the same type of site implies that there is no clear consensus on the conceptualisation of this transformational process. It is generally accepted that, from the Neolithic period onwards, Anatolia did not display a great degree of cultural homogeneity, both in terms of material culture and social systems. The topography of Anatolia is divided by deep river valleys and high mountain chains, and this may well have been a crucial factor in stimulating cultural regionalism. This article suggests that Early Bronze Age populations in Anatolia did not just experience the process of urbanisation, but also centralisation. Furthermore, it has been argued that certain areas of Anatolia at this time ex...

Ancient Near Eastern Studies, 1996

Praehistorische Zeitschrift, Mar 23, 2023

Concluding the Neolithic, 2019

While the materiality of Neolithic identities in the Near East and in the Europe has been address... more While the materiality of Neolithic identities in the Near East and in the Europe has been addressed widely, materiality in relation to the neolithization of western Turkey has not. The matter is treated as if the process was already completed in the East and the Neolithic communities of western Turkey were simply the final or replicated form what had been evidenced in the east. With its well-preserved building sequence, covering a time period spanning more than a thousands years (6850 cal BC), Ulucak Höyük now provides us with an opportunity to discuss how Neolithic communities in western Turkey negoti- ated their identities as well as to trace potential transformations by way of constructing these identities through the Neolithic period. Ultimately, this article suggests that the me- dia which played an crucial role in construction of social relations and identities in Ulucak were shifted from the communal buildings to the newly emerged intermingling set of new objects in the late seventh millennium.

Documenta Praehistorica

In this investigation we detail the results of a systematic analysis of worked animal bone from U... more In this investigation we detail the results of a systematic analysis of worked animal bone from Ulucak, one of the earliest Neolithic sites in western Anatolia. The collection exhibits a wide range of types, including points, needles, spatulas, bevelled tools, perforated objects, and other unique objects. A study of the raw material shows a preference for sheep and goat long bones, while large-sized animal rib bones were also utilized. Manufacturing techniques employed included splitting, grooving, and abrasion, while a contextual analysis of the material underscores an intricate connection with other objects made from stone and clay. Items found in buildings relate to textile, leather, and ceramic production, while personal ornaments may have played a part in abandonment rituals. Examination of this assemblage is understood as a common set of regional tool types with some localized variations.

Blömeke Druck SRS GmbH, Herne, 2016

Arkeoloji dergisi, Dec 15, 2020

Anatolia Antiqua, 2019

La loi du 11 mars 1957 n'autorisant, aux termes des alinéas 2 et 3 de l'article 41, d'une part, q... more La loi du 11 mars 1957 n'autorisant, aux termes des alinéas 2 et 3 de l'article 41, d'une part, que les "copies ou reproductions strictement réservées à l'usage privé du copiste et non destinées à une utilisation collective" et, d'autre part, que les analyses et les courtes citations dans un but d'exemple et d'illustration, "toute" représentation ou reproduction intégrale, ou partielle, faite sans le consentement de l'auteur ou de ses ayants droit ou ayants cause, est illicite (alinéa 1er de l'article 40). Cette représentation ou reproduction, par quelque procédé que ce soit, constituerait donc une contefaçon sanctionnée par les articles 425 et suivants du Code Pénal.

Documenta Praehistorica, 2020

It has been increasingly clear that pottery was adopted as a continuous technology during the fir... more It has been increasingly clear that pottery was adopted as a continuous technology during the first quarter of the 7th millennium BC in a wide region, from Upper Mesopotamia through Central Anatolia and the Lakes District region. However, the absence of pottery in the basal level at Ulucak Höyük shows the presence of a pre-ceramic sequence in western Anatolia, before c. 6600/6500 cal BC. This article discusses the earliest pottery assemblage from Ulucak (6600/6500–6200 cal BC) and compares it with the later ceramic sequences at the site. Ultimately, the functional and typological developmental sequence of Neolithic pottery at Ulucak Höyük and its temporo-spatial relations with other Neolithic sites in Anatolia will be assessed.

A total of sixty-five radiocarbon dates from Ulucak Höyük, including charcoal and short-lived spe... more A total of sixty-five radiocarbon dates from Ulucak Höyük, including charcoal and short-lived species taken from Level VI–Level III, clearly prove a long history of occupation at the site, from 6850 cal. BC to 5460 cal. BC. Based on this radiocarbon seriation, this article explores the origins of sedentary life its gradual transformation, and abrupt changes at the site. A discussion of the sequence of events is also presented within a regional framework. Ulucak Höyük is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming and animal husbandry in the Aegean. Archaeological materials and radiocarbon dates confirm the existence of initial Neolithic layers, ca. 6850 cal. BC. Radiocarbon dates suggest that occupation between Ulucak VI and V continued without a gap. However, a gradual transformation has been observed starting from Level Vb onwards, which overlapped more or less with the 8.2 ka Climate Event. After a short gap between the Late Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic, an abrupt chan...

Altorientalische Forschungen, 2000

Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia 8,500 BC. They t... more Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia 8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East and westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European pigs were either domesticated independently or more likely appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced pigs and European wild boar. As a result, European wild boar mtDNA lineages replaced Near Eastern/Anatolian mtDNA signatures in Europe and subsequently replaced indigenous domestic pig lineages in Anatolia. The specific details of these processes, however, remain unknown. To address questions related to early pig domestication, dispersal, and turnover in the Near East, we analyzed ancient mitochondrial DNA and dental geometric morphometric variation in 393 ancient pig specimens representing 48 archeological sites (from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to the Medieval period) from Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Our results reveal the first genetic signat...

Molecular Biology and Evolution, Nov 22, 2012

Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia∼ 8,500 BC. They ... more Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia∼ 8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East and westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European pigs were either domesticated independently or appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced pigs and European wild boar. These pigs not only replaced those with Near Eastern signatures in Europe, they subsequently also replaced indigenous domestic pigs in the Near East. The ...

Anatolia Antiqua, 2019

Avant-propos; Aksel was an exceptional friend and colleague who will be deeply missed by all who ... more Avant-propos; Aksel was an exceptional friend and colleague who will be deeply missed by all who knew him. His sudden loss made us all very sad. Aksel was loved so much that it is hard to believe that he is no longer with us. He will always remain within our hearts.

Sheep was among the first domesticated animals, but its demographic history is little understood.... more Sheep was among the first domesticated animals, but its demographic history is little understood. Here we present combined analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear polymorphism data from ancient central and west Anatolian sheep dating to the Late Glacial and early Holocene. We observe loss of mitochondrial haplotype diversity around 7500 BCE during the early Neolithic, consistent with a domestication-related bottleneck. Post-7000 BCE, mitochondrial haplogroup diversity increases, compatible with admixture from other domestication centres and/or from wild populations. Analysing archaeogenomic data, we further find that Anatolian Neolithic sheep (ANS) are genetically closest to present-day European breeds, and especially those from central and north Europe. Our results indicate that Asian contribution to south European breeds in the post-Neolithic era, possibly during the Bronze Age, may explain this pattern.

Anatolian Studies

This article focuses on the Initial Neolithic (ca 6850–6500 cal. BC) lithic assemblages of Ulucak... more This article focuses on the Initial Neolithic (ca 6850–6500 cal. BC) lithic assemblages of Ulucak and Uğurlu in the Aegean region of Turkey. Ulucak and Uğurlu are among the earliest Aegean Neolithic sites, and their lithic industries were managed with specific traditions and skills, quite different from what we know of the industry for other regions such as central Anatolia, Cyprus and the Levant, and even some other areas of the Aegean. This article presents the results of the study of the chipped-stone assemblages of Ulucak and Uğurlu, and aims to demonstrate how they contribute to wider theories about the Neolithisation of the Aegean.

Science (New York, N.Y.), Jul 6, 2018

Current genetic data are equivocal as to whether goat domestication occurred multiple times or wa... more Current genetic data are equivocal as to whether goat domestication occurred multiple times or was a singular process. We generated genomic data from 83 ancient goats (51 with genome-wide coverage) from Paleolithic to Medieval contexts throughout the Near East. Our findings demonstrate that multiple divergent ancient wild goat sources were domesticated in a dispersed process that resulted in genetically and geographically distinct Neolithic goat populations, echoing contemporaneous human divergence across the region. These early goat populations contributed differently to modern goats in Asia, Africa, and Europe. We also detect early selection for pigmentation, stature, reproduction, milking, and response to dietary change, providing 8000-year-old evidence for human agency in molding genome variation within a partner species.

Anatolian Studies, 2007

The second half of the third millennium BC has generally been accepted as the period in which urb... more The second half of the third millennium BC has generally been accepted as the period in which urbanisation took place in Anatolia. Prominent sites of this period are described by scholars as ‘towns’, ‘town-like settlements’, ‘city-states’ and ‘proto-city-states’. The use of a variety of terms for the same type of site implies that there is no clear consensus on the conceptualisation of this transformational process. It is generally accepted that, from the Neolithic period onwards, Anatolia did not display a great degree of cultural homogeneity, both in terms of material culture and social systems. The topography of Anatolia is divided by deep river valleys and high mountain chains, and this may well have been a crucial factor in stimulating cultural regionalism. This article suggests that Early Bronze Age populations in Anatolia did not just experience the process of urbanisation, but also centralisation. Furthermore, it has been argued that certain areas of Anatolia at this time ex...

Ancient Near Eastern Studies, 1996