Findings on dietary habits discovered in ancient sites

ŞANLIURFA

Significant findings have been uncovered regarding how people acquired their dietary habits in excavation sites dating back 12,000 years. 

According to a statement from the Şanlıurfa Governor's Office, Professor Necmi Karul, coordinator of the Stone Hills Project, mentioned that during ongoing excavations in Karahantepe, numerous room-like structures were found, along with grinding stones, hand tools, plant remains and bone fragments of various animal species.

Karul noted that these findings provide information about the dietary habits of people 12,000 years ago, and research is still ongoing.

“Göbeklitepe dates back 12,000 years. For a long time, there was a debate about whether this place was solely a gathering or sacred site or also a living space. In the Stone Hills Project, we are seeking to answer this question. In 10 excavation sites, we are uncovering both these findings and the houses where people lived. Uncovering houses also means discovering clues about daily life. In Karahantepe, we found dozens of hut-like structures. Inside them, we found grinding stones, hand tools, plant remains and bone fragments of various animal species," Karul said.

"We understood from these that food was being prepared in these areas and that people made efficient use of the resources around them. When we put all these elements together, we can say that it proves the existence of people who brought together various resources from their surroundings into their kitchen,” he added.

Karul also mentioned that during the excavations in Göbeklitepe, they observed that after having a settled life, people began using wheat for agricultural purposes for the first time. He said that they are researching what kind of dietary habits the people there had 12,000 years ago and how these habits evolved in later years.

Highlighting the importance of the Gastronomy Project, initiated by the Şanlıurfa Governor's Office, Karul said, “Within the scope of the project, we are conducting a study that involves our academics and local culture. This is the homeland of wheat. It is a region where wild wheat naturally grows. Here, we see that after people transitioned to settled life, wheat was used in agriculture for the first time. We observe that wild grains were processed and over time, food was produced from them. Şanlıurfa is a place where we can observe the early stages of culinary culture through its archaeological sites.”