Search

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 change in almost every aspect of material culture occurred around 5600 cal. BC.

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 signatures of early domestic pigs in the Near Eastern Neolithic core zone. We also demonstrate that these early pigs differed genetically from those in western Anatolia that were introduced to Europe during the Neolithic expansion. In addition, we present a significantly more refined chronology for the introduction of European domestic pigs into Asia Minor that took place during the Bronze Age, at least 900 years earlier than previously detected. By the 5th century AD, European signatures completely replaced the endemic lineages possibly coinciding with the widespread demographic and societal changes that occurred during the Anatolian Bronze and Iron Ages., This work was supported by grants from the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/F003382/1), the Leverhulme Trust (F/00 128/AX), the Belgian Program on Inter-University Poles of Attraction (IAP 6/22), the Research Fund of the KU Leuven (BOF-GOA 07/02), the Hercules Foundation (AKUL/09/16), and the Deutsche Archäologisches Institut (DAI). G.L. was supported by an RCUK Academic Fellowship, J.P. was supported by the German Science Foundation (PE 424/10-1), M.W. received a Methusalem grant from the Flemish Ministry for Science Policy, and C.G. was supported by the German Archaeological Institute, Berlin (Research Cluster 1, Project 8999539). All research within the framework of the Sagalassos Project was carried out by the Centre for Archeological Sciences of the KU Leuven. Archeozoological research in Iran was supported by the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicraft, and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO); the UMR 7209 of the CNRS/MNHN; the British Institute for Persian Studies; the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in Iran; and the University of Edinburgh. Interdisciplinary research into the Neolithic of Southwest Iran was supported by a joint French Japanese Cooperation project (04.2.444) and JSPS. The archaeozoological study of Neolithic Ulucak has been funded through an individual fieldwork grant from the Institute for Aegean Prehistory since 2008 and C.C. was supported by the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (postdoctoral fellowship to non-EU researchers).

WOS: 000317245800075, The aim of the study was to determine variability, heavy Metal Content and potential origins of heavy metals of the sediments in a total of 60 locations representing coastal sediments of Mersin Bay,Grain size distribution and heavy metal contents were measured and multivariate statistical analyses were performed on obtained Values in grain size distribution, Oz-4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 22 23, 46, 48, 49, 50 Stations showed a bimodal distribution. This distribution developed due to river networks near the locations. Heavy metals are sequenced as Cr, Mn, Sr, Ni, V, Zn, Co, Zr, Rb, Ce, Cu, Sc, Li, Y, Pb, As, Nb, Mg, Fe, Al, Th and U from the higher value to the lower value according to their abundance: According to frequency histogram, Ni, Fe, Al, which showed the highest concentration values among heavy metals came from short medium distance; while Cr, Ti and Mn came from short distance. Based on these findings it should be thought,that heavy Metal sources affecting Study area are in short distances to study area All the elements were represented with three sector principal component analysis. Total variances of Pb, As, U, Th, Sb, P, La, Ba, Na, K, W, Ce, Li and Rb elements which represent (F1) factor were explained by 30.591 %. Variance of Mn, Fe, V, Ti, Al, Zr, Y, Sc and Hf elements which represent (F2) factor were explained by 18.749'%. Total Variance of Mo, U, Sr, Ca, P, Ti, Nb and Ta elements which represent the third factor (F3) were explained by 14.512 %. These data are significantly consistent with the dendongram prepared according to coefitic correlation coefficients. Hierarchical group analysis dendorigram showed that Q-type cluster had a 50 % arbitrary Similarity level and that contamination generally occurred in group 3. It can be thought that similar groups had the same properties during contamination. In regression data performed according to Fe; "Model summary" (according to R-2 = 99.8 value) was Significantly adequate for Statistical data and "Anova". was highly reliable with 36 explanatory Variables. Heavy metals in the study area such as Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, Co, Cu, Pb, Mg, Al, Cd, Sb and Ti might show toxic effects. Heavy metals, such as As, Ag, Fe, Mo And Sn should also be paid attention. Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn and V showed an anomaly according to Kizkalesi and Susanoglu coastal sand. Cr, Ni, Co, Mg, Ti, Fe and Mn increased due to Mersin Ophiolite. The areas where basie/ultrabasic rocks outcropped in the region can be considered as the source of natural contaminations. Anthropogenic factors, coastal sediments, coastal erosion and lithological effects are the main causes of contamination in the study area, which covers a very wide area. In addition, the port, river entrances, highway, urban wastes, tourist facilities and industrial sites increased the density of anthropogenic effect., Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz University, This study contains a part of Master of Science thesis and Scientific Research Projects of Nigde University prepared by Ozlem CEVIK. The financial support of the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz University is gratefully acknowledged.