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“Cultural Transformations and Ceramic Production: Petrographic Insights from Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age at Zeytinli Bahçe Höyük”

CROCCO, Rosa

The site of Zeytinli Bahçe Höyük, located near Birecik in the province of Şanlıurfa (Turkey), offers valuable insights into the cultural history of the Middle Euphrates Valley across millennia. Its strategic position and extensive stratigraphic sequence, spanning from the 4th millennium BC to the late Byzantine/medieval period, present a unique opportunity to investigate the transformations that shaped southeastern Anatolia and northern Mesopotamia. This contribution presents preliminary petrographic analyses of ceramic artefacts from the Late Chalcolithic 3-5 phases to the Early Bronze Age IB (the first half of the 4th millennium to the early 3rd millennium BC). These analyses trace the evolution of ceramic production, focusing on raw material procurement and manufacturing techniques. A significant shift between the Late Chalcolithic 3 and 4 phases has been identified at the site, indicating an increasing Uruk influence. This observation is supported by petrographic data, revealing notable changes in material composition and production methods. Following this transition, the results suggest a balance between continuity and innovation, with technological advancements becoming more prominent during the Early Bronze Age IB, reflecting broader socio-economic shifts and increasingly complex regional dynamics. These findings may contribute to a deeper understanding of southeastern Anatolia's role within the cultural networks of Greater Mesopotamia, highlighting both local innovations and external influences, particularly from the Uruk culture.

Session 1. Exploring Archaeology as a Global Science [info]