Upper Mesopotamia played a key role in the Neolithic Transition in Southwest Asia through marked innovations in symbolism, technology, and diet. We present 13 ancient genomes (c. 8500 to 7500 cal BCE) from Pre-Pottery Neolithic Çayönü in the Tigris basin together with bioarchaeological and material culture data. Our findings reveal that Çayönü was a genetically diverse population, carrying mixed ancestry from western and eastern Fertile Crescent, and that the community received immigrants. Our results further suggest that the community was organized along biological family lines. We document bodily interventions such as head shaping and cauterization among the individuals examined, reflecting Çayönü’s cultural ingenuity. Last, we identify Upper Mesopotamia as the likely source of eastern gene flow into Neolithic Anatolia, in line with material culture evidence. We hypothesize that Upper Mesopotamia’s cultural dynamism during the Neolithic Transition was the product not only of its fertile lands but also of its interregional demographic connections.

Upper Mesopotamia played a key role in the Neolithic Transition in Southwest Asia through marked innovations in symbolism, technology, and foodways. We present thirteen ancient genomes (c.8500-7500 calBCE) from Pre-Pottery Neolithic Çayönü in the Tigris basin together with bioarchaeological and material culture data. Our findings reveal that Çayönü was a genetically diverse population, carrying a mixed ancestry from western and eastern Fertile Crescent, and that the community received immigrants. Our results further suggest that the community was organised along biological family lines. We document bodily interventions such as head-shaping and cauterization among the individuals examined, reflecting Çayönü's cultural ingenuity. Finally, we identify Upper Mesopotamia as the likely source of eastern gene flow into Neolithic Anatolia, in line with material culture evidence. We hypothesise that Upper Mesopotamia's cultural dynamism during the Neolithic Transition was the product not only of its fertile lands but also of its interregional demographic connections.

Auditory exostosis (AE) is a bony anomaly located on the tympanic portion of the temporal bone. Cold water, wind chill, and the effects of temperature are considered to be contributors to the development of AE. It is frequently encountered among surfers, lifeguards, whitewater kayakers, swimmers, and divers. Accordingly, there is a strong relationship between prolonged exposure to cold water and the frequency and grade of AE. For this reason, AE can be accepted as an occupational anomaly.In this study, AE from Körtik Tepe, Turkey, were analysed to understand the lifestyle of early hunter gatherer populations from Anatolia. One hundred twenty-eight individuals and 174 temporal bones from Körtik Tepe were examined for the frequency and severity (graded) of AE. Forty-five individuals (35.2%) have exostosis of various sizes. Half of 40 male individuals and 42.5% of females (n: 40) have AE with no statistically significant difference between the sexes. First observed in individuals 7 years of age, severity and frequency of AE increase with age. Besides increasing in frequency, the increase in size of AE suggest a continuous and prolonged exposure to cold water.The people of Körtik Tepe, which is surrounded by numerous freshwater sources, must have been subjected to cold water through activities such as bathing, cleaning, swimming, and playing in the water, as well as fishing. Our results suggest that the lifestyle of early sedentary people in Körtik Tepe was rather egalitarian with little or no gender differences and was closely connected to aquatic sources.Bioarchaeological data suggest that Körtik Tepe can be accepted as a community of hunter-gatherer-fishermen.

Studies have shown that there is a direct and strong relationship between dental pathology, dietary habits, and subsistence economies. Dental caries, the most frequently used bioanthropological data source for determining the dietary habits of past people, provides considerable information about the types of foods predominantly consumed. On the other hand, analyzing dental wear provides an insight into food preparation techniques. In this study, the dental caries and wear on the dentition of individuals from _ Ikiztepe, Bakla Tepe, and Titris ¸Höyük, dated to the Late Chalcolithic (3500-3000 BC) and the Early Bronze Age (3100-2000 BC), were analyzed to examine potential differences in their dietary habits. The highest caries frequency was observed at Bakla Tepe (10%), followed by _ Ikiztepe with 6.8% and then Titris ¸Höyük with 4.2%. Stable isotope analyses previously carried out on the same populations suggest a homogenous, predominantly terrestrial C 3 -based mixed diet.However, statistically significant differences in caries frequencies and caries surface and depth scores suggest that there are interpopulation differences regarding the amount of carbohydrate and protein in their diet. The dental wear of all populations can be considered as slight, which indicates the consumption of well-processed, soft, and fine-grained foods. However, _ Ikiztepe, with the highest mean value of dental wear (x ¯: 3.14), is an exception within the sample populations (Bakla Tepe: 2.93; Titris Ḩöyük:2.85) examined in this study. Differences in the economic and ecological characteristics of these settlements were effective in explaining the differences observed in dental caries and wear. Although C 3 -based foods were common for all of the populations, the relative amount they were consumed is likely different for each sample population, suggesting heterogeneity within and between populations with regard to consumed resources.