A New Epi Paleolith Ic Site in Northwestern Anatolia

Abstract

Ball & imath;k Cave, situated within the provincial borders of & Idot;zmir in western T & uuml;rkiye, represents a significant archaeological site with Pleistocene deposits dated to the Epipaleolithic period. Recent radiocarbon analyses conducted at TUBITAK-MAM have dated the site to between 11,860 and 10,805 cal. BC. The strategic location of Ball & imath;k Cave provides a unique opportunity to examine cultural interactions between the Aegean islands and contemporary sites in Anatolia. Excavations at the site have yielded a total of 10,520 knapped stone artifacts. This study undertakes a comprehensive techno-typological analysis of these artifacts. Furthermore, the findings are compared with those from Epipaleolithic sites in the northeastern Aegean islands and Anatolia, where similar assemblages have been identified.