Sample name: Göbekli Tepe (Enclosure D)

Reference: N. Pöllath, O. Dietrich, J. Notroff, L. Clare, L. Dietrich, C. Köksal-Schmidt, K. Schmidt, and J. Peters. 2018. Almost a chest hit: An aurochs humerus with hunting lesion from Göbekli Tepe, south-eastern Turkey, and its implications. Quaternary International 495:30-48 [ER 3754]

Lithology: not described

Taphonomic context: human accumulation,settlement

Archaeology: bone tools,buildings,hearths,stone tools,other artifacts,other structures

Habitat comments: "The site contains the remains of a number of monumental buildings, large circular structures supported by massive stone pillars – the world's oldest known megaliths. Many of these pillars are richly decorated with abstract anthropomorphic details, clothing, and reliefs of wild animals. The 15 m high, 8 ha tell also includes many smaller rectangular buildings, quarries, and stone-cut cisterns". Numerous flint stone tools, bone tools, ornaments, and a sequence of hearths have also been found.
"The site was initially described as the "world's first temple": a sanctuary used by groups of nomadic hunter-gatherers from a wide area, with few or no permanent inhabitants". This interpretation has subsequently been challenged, namely with the excavation of twelve deep soundings down to the natural limestone plateau, which uncovered evidence of domestic activities as well as a possible rainwater harvesting system.

Life forms: carnivores,primates,rodents,ungulates,other small mammals,birds,clams

Sampling methods: quarry

Sample size: 1140 specimens

Sampling comments: The counts below are of the faunal remains uncovered from Enclosure D, as reported in Pöllath et al. (2018). No specific excavation details of this enclosure are provided.

Sample number: 4005

Contributor: Benjamin Carter

Enterer: Benjamin Carter

Created: 2022-10-11 13:48:51

Modified: 2022-10-11 03:00:01