The impact and importance of geographic space on the locations of akeramik Neoli̇thic settlements in the Southeastern Anatolia Region

The Southeastern Anatolia Region is one of the rare areas where archaeological data from the Early Neolithic period stand out in terms of density and visibility. Sites such as Hallan Çemi, Nevalı Çori, Çayönü, Boncuklu Tarla, Hasankeyf Höyük, Gusir Höyük, Körtik Tepe, and Göbeklitepe demonstrate that the region holds a strategic position not only culturally but also geomorphologically and ecologically. In the development of these settlements, complex geomorphology, hydrological systems, microclimatic variations, biodiversity, and geological resources played a decisive role. Transitional zones between mountain foothills and plains (piedmont areas), alluvial flats, and calcareous hill slopes formed ecotones suitable for agriculture, animal husbandry, and hunting-gathering, providing flexibility in subsistence strategies. Climatic fluctuations during the Quaternary period, especially the Younger Dryas drought, coincide with the emergence of the first permanent PPN settlements. The increase in temperature and humidity at the beginning of the Holocene strengthened forest cover and offered new opportunities for agriculture. In settlement selection, access to water, erosion-resistant terrain, arable soils, and defensive potential were key criteria. The positioning of Çayönü at the plain-mountain threshold, Hallan Çemi in a forest-steppe ecotone, Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe on dominant high hills, Boncuklu Tarla along the Tigris River, and Körtik Tepe near flint sources indicates that geography played a role not only economically but also in the production of ritual and symbolic spaces. Architectural and symbolic differences between the Euphrates and Tigris basins reflect the influence of environmental conditions on cultural patterns. Rescue excavations conducted since the 2000s within the scope of dam projects have documented new settlements and proven that geography is an active factor shaping settlement patterns, subsistence economies, social structures, and belief systems. In conclusion, the distribution and development of Pre-Pottery Neolithic settlements in Southeastern Anatolia are the product of a multi-layered process shaped at the intersection of natural and human factors. Future research focusing on spatial analyses and environmental archaeology will contribute to a better understanding of the region's unique position in the Neolithisation processes of the Near East and the world.