FIRST TRACES OF SETTLEMENT IN CANAKKALE AND GALLIPOLI PENINSULA

Abstract

Canakkale is located in north-western Turkey on Biga peninsula which is one of the western prolongations of Anatolia and on Gelibolu peninsula which is a part of Eastern Thrace region of Balkan Peninsula. The city is surrounded by Balikesir in east and southeast, Aegean Sea in west, Tekirdag and Marmara Sea in north. This region constitutes a border between Anatolia and Thrace as well as between Asia and Europe. At the same time, Canakkale and surroundings is one of the two natural water streams between Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. Due to this geographical location, it has been in the middle of many civilizations that rose thousands years ago but then perished and it has kept the strategic importance granted by the geographical location. The region has been on the roads connecting Asian countries and European continent since ancient ages. Besides it intersects the routes connecting Anatolia, Greece and Balkan Peninsula. Accordingly, the region has become a bridge between Aegean and Black Sea as well as Asia Minor, Europe and Mediterranean. It is well known that people has always selected settlement areas due to their connectivity with other regions. The research subject Canakkale and surroundings is located in such a region and therefore it has been an area of settlement in every period. Canakkale and surroundings has been an area of settlement starting from the first ages of history. It has been proved by findings obtained from surface researches that both Gelibolu and Biga peninsulas have been areas of settlement since Palaeolithic age. Besides, these surface studies proved the cultural and historical relation of the region (which have been ignored for a long time) with Anatolia and Balkans. With this research named “First Traces of Settlement in Canakkale and Gelibolu Peninsula” the subjects regarding the oldest settlement history of the region will be enlightened.