Epipalaeolithic Ritual Practices at Gedikkaya Cave, Northwestern Türkiye

Abstract

This paper examines the Epipaleolithic occupation of Gedikkaya Cave in northwestern T & uuml;rkiye, which also served as a settlement during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods.The Epipaleolithic marks a period of increased human mobility, likely influenced by climatic events following the Last Glacial Maximum. During this time, the cave functioned as a shelter or refuge for local hunter-gatherers and transient populations. Artifacts suggest connections between European Upper Paleolithic cultures and the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A cultures of Anatolia and the Levant. The study focuses on the extraordinary symbolic and ritual manifestations found in a layer dated to 13,166-11,200 Cal BC, including artifacts, niches, and a special area featuring a stalagmite structure. These findings suggest the presence of well- developed and complex symbolic structures.