Evaluation of the symbolism of the pre-pottery Neolithic Period in the Southeastern Anatolia Region in the light of archaeological finds

EVALUATION OF THE SYMBOLISM OF THE PRE-POTTERY NEOLITHIC PERIOD IN THE SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA REGION IN THE LIGHT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS ABSTRACT The thesis entitled "Evaluation of the Symbolism of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Period in the Southeastern Anatolia Region in the Light of Archaeological Findings" aims to examine the symbolic forms of expression of the period in line with the archaeological data obtained from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Period settlements in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. This period, which dates to approximately 10000-7000 BC, witnessed one of the most profound social, economic and cultural transformations in human history; the fundamentals of the transition from hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled productive societies were shaped in this period. In this phase, during which the use of pottery had not yet begun, symbolism played an important role in the construction of collective identity and ritual practices and ensured social integration. Pillars, monumental architectural structures, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurative depictions, geometric motifs and cult objects unearthed at pioneering sites in the region such as Göbekli Tepe, Karahantepe, Nevali Çori, Çayönü, Körtik Tepe, Hallan Çemi, Sefertepe, Hasankeyf Höyük, Sayburç, Çakmaktepe and Gre Filla provide a comprehensive range of the symbolic universe of Early Neolithic communities. These findings show that the intellectual background of the period included symbols not only related to the relationship with nature, but also to forms of social organization, the cult of the dead, gender roles and the phenomenon of sacred space. Within the scope of the study, the symbolic elements documented in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic centres within the specified geography are classified, subsequently their contextual uses are analysed and their functional and representational dimensions are examined. The evaluation of symbols not only as artistic products but also as communicative and ritual tools is adopted as a basic approach in analysing the cultural logic of the period.