Early Chalcolithic Pottery from Tepecik-Çiftlik and Gelveri, Central Anatolia: From Local to Supra-Regional Ceramic Style

Abstract

We intend to decipher both a chronological and a cultural problematic raised by the sudden appearance of geometric incised decorations on Anatolian pottery, seemingly at the beginning of the sixth millennium cal B.C. Frequently designated as ‘Gelveri type’ in reference to the Gelveri-Güzelyurt Cappadocian pottery assemblage, the lack of a reliable chronology based on a good stratigraphy at the site made it difficult to cope with the nature of the development of such pottery style. Excavations at Tepecik-Çiftlik as well as recent archaeological work at Gelveri have provided us with new stratigraphic and decoration-related technological evidence. Hence, we have the possibility to analyse the emergence and the development of such pottery styles within a reliable archaeological context. Seen on such a large geographical scale, covering at least the entire Anatolian plateau, the nature of this pottery style development cannot be considered as a pottery phenomenon in itself only. It is necessary to investigate the cultural interactions at play, enabling stylistic patterns to be shared within different cultural areas.