Middle chalcolithic architecture in Eastern Thrace: Architecture and settlement pattern of layer 5 at Aşağı Pınar

The Aşağı Pınar Mound, located in Kırklareli, is a prehistoric settlement that was established at the end of the 7th millennium BC and has been inhabited for almost a thousand years and was abandoned at the beginning of the 5th millennium BC. A total of nine layers were identified at the Aşağı Pınar Mound, numbered 1-8, and 5/6 Transitional Layer dated 6200-4800 BC. The first phase of the Aşağıpınar settlement is similar to the contemporary settlements in Anatolia. However, following the transition period in the middle of the 6th millennium BC, the entire Thracian region including the Aşağı Pınar, reflects the characteristics of Karanovo III-IV. After this transition period, the similarities with Anatolia decreased noticeably. The focus of this study is Layer 5, which follows the transition period. This layer dates back to about 5400 - 5250 BC and corresponds to the Middle Chalcolithic period in Anatolia and the Middle Neolithic period in the Balkans. In this second phase of the settlement; significant changes have occurred in the architecture, artifacts and settlement pattern. The architectural remains of the 5th layer in Aşağı Pınar have been unearthed in a very large area. The subject of this study is to identify the important changes in layer 5 and to understand the changing lifestyle. The aim of this study is to examine the reasons of the important changes in many areas in terms of architecture and settlement pattern and to try to understand the lifestyle after this breaking point.