With National Science Foundation support Drs. Steven Kuhn and Mary Stiner will conduct two field seasons of research at three archaeological sites located in the Hatay region of Turkey. Because of its position near the Syrian border, the sites are situated in an important transition zone at the edge of the Middle East. Work by prior excavators, as well as preliminary research at these sites by Kuhn and Stiner indicates that all three contain long sequences of Upper Paleolithic material and that the earliest levels likely exceed 40,000 years in age. This makes them of great anthropological significance. In Europe at approximately 40,000 years ago an important biological and cultural change took place when anatomically modern humans succeeded Neanderthal peoples and an Upper Paleolithic technology characterized by a different more function specific stone tool technology, bone tools and art replaced a more general technological adaptation. In Europe, where archaeological data are abundant, it is fairly clear that replacement rather than in situ development took place. However the point of origin for the Upper Paleolithic industries is unknown and the underlying process which led to their emergence is not understood. Anatomically modern humans are present in the Near East prior to their appearance in Europe and paleoanthropologists have thus focused their attention on this area. It is this fact together with the early dates and presence of bone tools which make the Hatay sites so interesting. Because stratigraphic data indicate that they document long periods of time, it is possible to consider them from the perspective of development as well or origins. The research team will conduct preliminary stratigraphic excavations. They will collect and analyze both the lithic and faunal remains and collect samples for radiometric dating. On this basis a longer term project is planned.
