Evaluation of pleistocene period find areas in Inkaya Cave and its around with geographic information systems

One of the new methods used in this regard is the analysis of the space and cultural materials of the Paleolithic Age population with geographic information systems. In this thesis, the location of the lithics found in the Paleolithic period found areas and İnkaya Cave Excavation, which was determined during the surveys carried out in Çanakkale Province between 2014-2021, in the space were analyzed with geographic information systems. İnkaya Cave was used by the people of the Paleolithic Period between about 86 thousand and 40 thousand years, although it is not certain according to the dates made. 11,217 lithics find in the excavations around the cave and 4078 lithics found in the surveys around the cave were analyzed with Voxler, ArcGIS, Surfer, and QGIS software after they were examined technologically and typologically. As a result of these analyses, it has been tried to understand the distribution area of the human population, their mobility, relations with raw material sources and thermal water sources, the use of space in the cave, and human behavior in the space in the İnkaya Cave and throughout the province of Çanakkale. In light of the data obtained, the similarities and differences between the lithics produced by the human groups living in İnkaya Cave with the lithics remains found in Anatolia and other parts of the world were examined. Accordingly, it is thought that the lithics found in İnkaya Cave may not be of Levant origin, but rather of Balkan and European origin. Considering the dates inhabited by the human groups settled in İnkaya Cave, evaluations were made based on the possibility that they might have used the cave as a shelter for many years by being greatly affected by the ecological and climatic events that took place between these dates. As a result of the information obtained from the surveys conducted in Çanakkale province and its surroundings, it is possible to say that the Paleolithic Period people who lived in Çanakkale took shelter in İnkaya Cave. The furthest distance from İnkaya Cave and other finds was determined at a distance of 10 km. Accordingly, we can say that the human communities that lived in İnkaya Cave during the glacial and interglacial periods benefited from the raw material resources, hot water resources, and food resources available around the cave. When we examined the distribution of the chipped stones found in İnkaya Cave in the area with geographical information systems, it was determined that some areas were used for special activities. Technological and typological features of the lithics in the trench to the west of the cave and their density in the area suggested that this area might be a production area. It was concluded that the lithics found in the Yol-2 and Yol-3 research units may be the places where leather and woodworking were done in this part of the cave. In addition to the results, the possibility of a movement route of the human groups living in the İnkaya Cave to the west of Anatolia, either through Europe or vice versa, is emphasized. The presence of the Denticulate Mousterian culture, which is common in Europe, and also in the İnkaya Cave strengthens this possibility.