Organic residue analysis in Tepecik-Çiftlik potteries

Tepecik-Çiftlik Höyük, located in the Melendiz Plain within the boundaries of the Volcanic Cappadocia Region, life continued uninterruptedly from the Early Chalcolithic Period (6100-5800 BC.) to the Neolithic Period. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the nutrient preferences and economics of human communities living in these periods by using Organic Residue (Lipit) Analysis of the potteries collected from different layers of the mound. Analysis of preserved lipit residues in pottery pores can provide a direct link to pottery use. Varity of pottery which had been collected during the 2014, 2017 and 2018 excavation seasons from Tepecik-Çiftlik Höyük had been chosen and analyzed according to the reflecting characteristics of the layers. Following this purpose, systematic chemical analysis of lipit residues in a total of 59 potteries, regardless of a particular form or type, of the Early Chalcolithic (Level 2) and Neolithic Period (levels 3-4 and 5-6) had been conducted using GC and GC/MS. Lipit residues were found in 4 (6.77 percent) of the 59 pieces of potteries which had been analyzed.