The first traces of settlement in Northern Anatolia

It leaer us within limits in terms of time that writing is an impartan mesaure in Old age history researches. This limit in between prehistory and history appears naturally with the discovery of writing. It is called prehistory to the period between written and unwritten history. North- east Anatolia, gate of Turkey opening to Caucacisan, her seen settlemets from prehistoric ages onwords. This study related with prehistoric and historic ages of North- east Anatolia, is of distinctive prominence due to geographic position of area. Geographical features of area include agricultural lands and water resources which are essential for living of people in prehistoric ages. As a consequence of this, our study is mainly confired to Erzincan, Erzurum, and Kars. First studies in North Anatolia were carried out by K. Kökten. Under the light of these researches, it is understood that settlemets took place in the area in Paleolithic, Epipaleolithic, Chalcolithic, and Early Bronze ages. Effects of Karaz culture continuin its presence in North- east Anatolia especially in Late Chalcolithic and Last Bronze ages can be seen. In recentlycarried out researches, important findings to Old age history and archaeology of area have been acquired. Paleolithic ages tools were seen in Erzurum, which is situated in North- east Anatolia and is in our stduy coverage; settlements dating back Paleolithic , Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods together with findings belonging to these ages in Kars; and also findings and settlements dating back Chalcolithic age and later in Erzincan. Keywords: Northeast Anatolia, Settlement, Erzurum, Kars, Erzincan, Prehistoric