Özet:

After the discovery of Göbekli Tepe, the importance of other neolithic centers in Şanlıurfa has increased and archaeological excavations covering these centers have gained momentum since 2019. Göbekli Tepe findings, which led to the questioning of the paradigm regarding the transition of humans to settled life, brought up many questions that need to be answered. In order to answer these questions, primarily archaeological sites with similar architectural/artistic elements and building style to Göbekli Tepe have been excavated in the last few years. One of the prominent archaeological sites after Göbekli Tepe is Karahan Tepe. Excavations at Karahan Tepe started in 2019 and are still continuing today. Although they have some different aspects, Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe, which are part of the same civilization, provide important information for understanding the neolithicization process in Southeastern Anatolia. The main purpose of the study is to contribute to the understanding of the effects of past natural environment characteristics on human activities. In this study, how the inhabitants of Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe might have adapted to natural geographical conditions in the past is discussed from the perspective of paleogeography. The geomorphological features, rocks, water resources, vegetation, soil and climatic characteristics of the surroundings of the above-mentioned archaeological sites were evaluated in comparison with the Early Holocene conditions in which these sites were occupied. It was concluded that Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe are quite different in terms of geomorphological and topographic features, and the landforms did not show any significant change from the Early Holocene to the present. It has been revealed that the climatic conditions were more humid and the vegetation was richer in the period when these archaeological sites were occupied. As a result of recent archaeological studies, it was seen that the monumental structures and possible domestic use areas were covered with soil and rubble, but the reasons for this are not yet well known. This survey suggests that the people living in Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe may have been affected by water scarcity and had to leave their habitats after a prolonged drought caused by climatic variability. Although this argument needs more paleoclimatic evidence, drought has been evaluated as the most serious threat from the natural environment in the region.

Anahtar Kelimeler: