Abstract:

The process of cutting milk is one of the important stages of childhood and has been the subject of anthropological research in its different dimensions. In the archaeological communities that have lived in the past as today, it is important to understand how the process takes place to be aware of the various practices in this field. In this study, the Repecik-Farming community, which is located in Central Anatolia and dated the neolithic period, is studied in terms of the process of cutting milk. 32 individuals from the age of the newborn to the age of 14 have been analysed and the process of cutting from milk was evaluated by determining the quantities of strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) elements in the bones and in the diet. The review found that the process of cutting milk in the neolithic community of Repecik-Farm began at about a year old. In comparison with other neolithic communities in Anadolu in terms of the application of milk cutting, Repecik-Farming was ranked among the neolithic communities in Central Anadolu. The study, accompanied by other archaeological and anthropological data, has shown that the period of cutting milk in the community is associated with infant mortality and burial practices.

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