Morphou Bay Prehistoric Survey Preliminary Report: Pebble Tools from Orga-Kourvelia and Vasilia-Mosphilia

Year 2021, Issue: 29, 177 - 196, 31.12.2021

Erge Yurtdaş , Mehmet Özerenler

https://doi.org/10.22520/tubaar2021.29.009

Cited By: 1

Abstract

This paper aims to represent an assemblage of choppers and chopping tools collected from the Morphou Bay Prehistoric Survey in Cyprus, together with their natural environment. Two new possible Early Paleolithic sites, Orga-Kourvelia and Vasilia-Mosphilia, which are very close, have been identified. In total, 13 pebble tools open the door to the possibility that the first human activity in Cyprus could be dated earlier than previously accepted and contribute to debates of hominin mobility in the Mediterranean islands from the mainland. In line with the data obtained as a result of our research, it refers to the idea that hominins may have visited the island much earlier than known, and it will be encouraging to other researchers who wish to research the Paleolithic Age in Cyprus.

Keywords

Pebble Tools, Cyprus, Paleolithic Age, Chopper, Chopping Tool

Thanks

We would like to thank Eylem Özdoğan and Müge Şevketoğlu for their efforts and guidance in the realization of the survey. We pay tribute to the recently lost researcher, Carole McCartney, for her valuable comments and guidance on the material. In addition, we would like to express our appreciation to the local office staff, Mehmet Şöföroğlu, who contributed significantly to the accomplishment of the research. We also thank Ali Yılmaz for sharing the aerial photographs used in the article with us and allowing them to be published. Finally, we are grateful to Nadire Oyman, Necla Sütçüoğluları and Özkan İbrahimer who made redaction to this paper. The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

Güzelyurt Körfezi Tarihöncesi Yüzey Araştırması Ön Rapor: Orga-Kourvelia ve Vasilia-Mosphilia Çaytaşı Aletleri

Abstract

Bu makale, Kıbrıs’ta gerçekleştirilen, Güzelyurt Körfezi Prehistorik Yüzey Araştırması kapsamında saptanan Satır ve Kıyıcı topluluğunu doğal çevresi ile birlikte sunmayı amaçlamaktadır. Birbirine çok yakın mesafede olan Orga-Kourvelia ve Vasilia-Mosphilia adlı iki yeni olası Erken Paleolitik buluntu yeri belirlenmiştir. Bahsi geçen buluntu yerlerinde karşılaşılan 13 çaytaşı alet, Kıbrıs'taki ilk insan faaliyetinin önceden kabul edilenden daha erkene tarihlenebileceği ihtimalini işaret etmektedir. Buna ek olarak anakaradan Akdeniz adalarına gerçekleştirilen hominin hareketliliği üzerine devam eden tartışmalara katkıda bulunmaktadır. Araştırma sonucunda elde edilen veriler, homininlerin adayı bilinenden çok daha önce ziyaret etmiş olabileceği fikrine atıfta bulunurken Kıbrıs'ta Paleolitik Çağ'ı araştıracak uzmanlara katkıda bulunacaktır.

Keywords

Çaytaşı Aletler, Kıbrıs, Paleolitik Çağ, Satır, Kıyıcı

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