Neolithic period in the Çukurova plain and Middle Taurus region: New research and relationship wi̇th the surrounding regions

Recent archaeological researches regarding Neolithic Age in the Near East, indicate that Neolithic Age was emerged mainly in the area starting from South Eastern Anatolia to Middle Euphrates Valley. Many important social organisation components were emerged, such as architecture, burial practice, paleo-lithic sculpture made by specialists, who had accumulation of knowledge handled down, right before the domestication of plant and animals in the region. After this formation process, all stages of Neolithic Age from PPNB, in which plant and animal domestication were carried out, to the end of Half Period can well be tracked. Therefore, it is clearly understood the presence of a cultural continuity from Epi-Palaeolithic to the end of Neolithic in Central Anatolia. One of the components of the Neolithic Age was obsidian. Its existence in various places demonstrate that there were an information transfer and interregional connection through networks. In fact, obsidian was an important raw material of strategical tools and developing its production technology, before the Neolithic Age and its formation process. The existence of Palaeolithic products made in Cappadocia in North of Taurus Ranges and Eastern Anatolia continued nearly all Near East over the 6000 years, beginning with Taurus mountain edge and gradually proceeded to the south. The fact that Central Anatolian obsidian has been discovered in Levant region in caves at West Taurus during the Epi-Palaeolithic period, 15000 BP, points out the connection through the East Mediterranean. Mediterranean originated sea shellfishes that were using for ornaments, proves that the contacts were dual. In addition, the connection was reached to overseas destination such as Cypriot Island after the 10th millennium BC. thanks to evidence of obsidian, settlement system, architecture, domesticated fauna and flora in the Neolithic sites of Cypriot. The only data about the Neolithic Age of Middle Taurus and Çukurova region, located centre of the above-mentioned geography, come from Yumuktepe, located to the west of Çukurova, Tarsus- Gözlükule excavations. Yumuktepe data shows Neolithic with pottery without interruption which can be dated to 7000 - 5800 BC. The researches shows that it has a similar structural assemblage with Amuq. In the Middle Taurus, however, there is no data about Neolithic Age. In this general framework, although formation process and presence of uninterrupted connection in the Neolithic Age at neighbouring areas of Çukurova and Middle Taurus has been proven, it should be lightened that how this region played a role during the connection process and the formation of the Neolithic Age. The unidentified status of the region originates from the lack of prehistoric studies and movable geomorphological nature of the region. As stated above, the absence of information on Neolitization of the region necessitate to initiate of this dissertation entitled "Neolithic Age in the Çukurova and Middle Taurus: Recent Researches and relationship with the Surrounding Regions". Thus, the dissertation aims to examine the following subjects: a) to be able to relationship between natural geographical settings and settlement system b) to fill the chronological gap resulted from paucity of research. With these targets surface surveys were carried out in the region in order to better understand and analyze the current problems to be solved. In addition to the data derived from surveys, materials obtained from former and ongoing excavations as well as surveys were examined and two sets of data were compared. Furthermore, this study designated to be basement for further studies to be realized regarding prehistory in the region. Keywords: Çukurova, Middle Taurus, Neolithic, Obsidian, Pottery