Archive for category: Journal

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9 SEPTEMBER 2013: VISITOR CENTRE ALMOST UP AND RUNNING

9 SEPTEMBER 2013: VISITOR CENTRE ALMOST UP AND RUNNING

The last roof tile has been placed and the Visitor’s Centre is now a finished building, ready for the instillation of all our information panels. It will be christened by a celebration on our last night – etliekmek by candlel                      […]

October 11, 2013 0 comments Read More
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7 SEPTEMBER 2013: THE END OF THE SEASON

7 SEPTEMBER 2013: THE END OF THE SEASON

The last week or two on site proved to be a wonderful whirlwind. IN that time we wrapped up excavation and carefully backfilled the trenches, we meticulously prepared the samples for export for approval by the Konya Museum, and we disassembled the entire camp with Tetris-like precision. Even our arrival […]

October 11, 2013 0 comments Read More
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9 SEPTEMBER 2013: Introducing our specialists: Dr Louise Martin, Zooarchaeology

9 SEPTEMBER 2013: Introducing our specialists: Dr Louise Martin, Zooarchaeology

Large quantities of animal bones are found at Boncuklu and their study provides insights into many areas. They allow us to reconstruct ancient ecology through the types of species present; determine the level of sedentism through the presence (or lack therefore) of commensal specie such as rats and mice, understand […]

September 10, 2013 0 comments Read More
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6 SEPTEMBER 2013: IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE, NO REALLY IT’S A BIRD

6 SEPTEMBER 2013: IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE, NO REALLY IT’S A BIRD

As the weather becomes cooler, an indicator the seasons are changing is the appearance of storks above the Höyük. Each year these birds use the thermals above the mounds on the Konya Plain to gain height to fly the long distances down to Africa for the winter. An amazing sight […]

September 9, 2013 0 comments Read More
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5 SEPTEMBER 2013: FLINT LITHIC

5 SEPTEMBER 2013: FLINT LITHIC

Another amazing find this week – a long flint blade was discovered in Trench H. This blade measured 9.8 centimeters in length and is an impressive example of a Neolithic tool technology. By the standards of Boncuklu, this is an unusually large retouched blade. While obsidian is the main stone […]

September 5, 2013 0 comments Read More
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2 SEPTEMBER 2013: Introducing our specialists: Aroa Garcia-Suarez, Micromorphology

2 SEPTEMBER 2013: Introducing our specialists: Aroa Garcia-Suarez, Micromorphology

Micromorphology is a scientific technique based on the study of sediments at the microscopic level. It gives us information on how the site was formed, the range of human activities that took place inside the buildings and throughout the site, and the state of preservation of the archaeological deposits. The […]

September 2, 2013 0 comments Read More
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1 SEPTEMBER 2013: Introducing our specialists: Dr Jessica Pearson, Human Osteoarchaeology and Isotope Analysis

1 SEPTEMBER 2013: Introducing our specialists: Dr Jessica Pearson, Human Osteoarchaeology and Isotope Analysis

The Boncuklu human remains have three intriguing facets: first, that many of the complete interments have been found beneath the floor within the clean areas of the houses, second, that there are many human bone fragments within the middens most of which are skull fragments and this seems to represent […]

September 1, 2013 0 comments Read More
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31 AUGUST 2013: FIND OF THE WEEK: DANCING IN THE TRENCHES

31 AUGUST 2013: FIND OF THE WEEK: DANCING IN THE TRENCHES

On this site we have many decorated plaques, many of which have grooves and were used as polishing tools including possibly as shaft strengtheners. The other plaques have an as yet undefined function but are equally decorated. Today in Trench P we have found one of our most elaborate incised […]

August 31, 2013 0 comments Read More
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Roasting Marshmallows Over a Neolithic Fire.

Roasting Marshmallows Over a Neolithic Fire.

In the twilight hours last night, one wood charcoal specialist, Ceren Kabukcu, conducted a few fire side experiments. A few days earlier, using the marl collected from the geoarchaeological trenches, she constructed a Neolithic style hearth. Now that it was dry she spent the evening huddled round the fire measuring […]

August 28, 2013 0 comments Read More
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Professor Bar Yosef and Professor Wu Interview

Professor Bar Yosef and Professor Wu Interview

We at Boncuklu are fortunate enough to host two visiting specialists: Prof. Ofer Bar-Yosef of Harvard University and Prof. Xiaohong Wu of Peking University. Prof. Wu is a leading expert in C14 dating and she collaborates with us on our programme for dating the site. Prof. Bar-Yosef is a renowned […]

August 24, 2013 1 comment Read More