Özet:

Although the Karaz Culture is a well-known culture that can be defined with its unique characteristics within its geography of distribution, there are some unexplained circumstances. One of these, perhaps the most important one, is the sudden disappearance of the culture at the end of the Early Bronze Age. Attempts have been made to explain this problem with the settlements found mostly in the Caucasus, but they have not been sufficient. In Anatolia, on the other hand, there is little or no material to explain this situation. However, the data obtained during the excavations at Tepeköy Höyük have begun to partially clarify this situation and to provide answers to the end of the Karaz Culture, cultural continuity and some other changes. In this context, the general characteristics of the Karaz Culture are compared with the Karaz Culture data unearthed at Tepeköy Höyük. In addition, the details of a different culture, which emerged in the middle phase of the Early Bronze Age at the mound and coexisted with the Karaz Culture, are also discussed. The relations between this new secondary culture and the Caraz Culture are discussed and the radical changes that occurred at the end of the period are emphasised. In general, the deficiencies mentioned in this study are emphasised and answers and suggestions are formulated based on the Tepeköy Höyük data.

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