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 […]
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 […]
21 AUGUST 2013: Amazing feats in Trench M – The Basket Extraction
What began as the excavation of a simple burial in Trench H has ended with an exceptional display of determination and fine motor skills. In a small cut, supervisor Nat Franklin and her team, Hannah, Sam and Aroa, expected to find the burial of a small child. Instead, an older individual with […]
20 AUGUST 2013: INTERESTING DEPOSIT OF THE WEEK – TRENCH N SCAPULA
Building 6 in Trench N has revealed the intriguing features this week. The first is an auroch’s horn core set into the wall of the building next to the entrance. The second consisted of two large animal scapulae uncovered in a small pit set into the building floor – one […]
19 AUGUST 2013: Introducing our specialists: Ceren Kabukcu, Archaeobotanist
One of the many benefits of working at Boncuklu is the opportunity to meet a huge variety of specialists. It is always intriguing to find out how they attempt to answer the questions we have asked about the site. PhD student Ceren Kabukcu (University of Liverpool) is one of our […]
18 AUGUST 2013: Introducing our specialists: Ingrid Iversen, Heavy Residue Analyst
Boncuklu’s research strategy involves comprehensive recovery of finds from the site in an effort to extract every last ounce of information about the ancient community’s way of life. Stratified contexts are either 100% processed using the flotation tank, or 50% floated and 50% wet sieved. The product of these processes, […]
15 AUGUST 2013: FINDS OF THE WEEK
This week has yet again been a busy and productive one on our four trenches, and we have two unique finds to showcase. The first emerged from Trench M – a large, decorated, shell bead. Identified as a Dentalium shell imported from the Mediterranean, the find is remarkable, not only […]
13 August: Visitor centre construction begins
On a great day for The Boncuklu Project, Mustafa Güven surveys the site of the new visitor centre as construction begins. We will be posting updates as our bijou interpretative facility takes shape.
12 AUGUST 2013 Back to work: burials galore
Yesterday the team reassembled refreshed and overfed after the Ramzan (Ramadan) holiday, known as the Şeker Bayramı (the sugar festival; the same event is known in Arabic as Eid al-Fitr). We immediately got to work uncovering a series of burials in Trenches H and P, with that in H, preserving […]
7 AUGUST 2013: A VOLUNTEER’S VIEWS
After entering the main gate of Boncuklu Höyük, one of the first work areas you see is Trench H, which is located on the northern slope of the site. Immediatley, your eyes are drawn to the large depressions cut into the marl (natural subsoil). These depressions are what are left […]