This paper adds a new interpretive layer to the already extremely well-investigated site of Demircihüyük, a small Early Bronze Age settlement at the northwestern fringes of the central Anatolian plateau. It presents a reassessment of the evidence for prehistoric mining in the region, as well as a new programme of chemical composition analysis integrated with an object functional and technological typology of the site's metal assemblages. The results reveal complex manufacturing techniques (such as bivalve mould casting, plating and lost wax) and the co-occurrence of several alloying types, including the earliest tin bronzes in the region. Object typology further indicates that the Demircihüyük community was at the intersection of two distinct metallurgical networks: one centred on the western Anatolian highlands, the other spanning the northern part of the central plateau. Additionally, several strands of evidence suggest that the beginning of interregional exchanges, linking central Anatolia to northern Levantine and Mesopotamian societies, may have started at an earlier date than the commonly assumed ca 3000–2800 BC.

For a long time, assessments and evaluations of the western Anatolian Early Bronze Age (EBA) have only been based on the excavation results of Tarsus, Karatas-Semayük, Beycesultan, Demircihüyük, and Troy. However, excavations and surface surveys carried out in the last two decades have increased our knowledge enormously. In particular, the excavations of Liman Tepe, Küllüoba, and Seyitömer have made an immense contribution to the establishment of a reliable West Anatolian EBA chronology. The surface surveys have also made it possible to define better the borders of the cultural areas and pottery zones of the region. Based on these new data, new theories are presented here on the cultural and socio-political development of the region, as well as on regional and inter-regional relationships during the EBA.

No abstract

Dünya üzerinde ilk metal eserin kullanıldığı Anadolu, bu ilk olma özelliğini erken dönemlerden itibaren burada yerleşik hayata geçen insanlara ve bu toprakların maden yatağı bakımından zengin olmasına borçludur. Yapılan araştırmalar Anadolu'da erken dönemlerde işletilmiş olabilecek binlerce maden yatağının olduğunu göstermektedir. Ancak bu konudaki en önemli sorun, bunların ne kadarının Anadolu'da yazının kullanılmaya başladığı MÖ 2. binyıl öncesindeki tarih öncesi dönemlere ait olduğudur. Bu çalışmada Anadolu'da tarih öncesi dönemlerde kullanılmış olabilecek bakır yataklarını incelenmektedir.