The Early Bronze Age in Southwest Anatolia: A Preliminary Report of the Studies on Materials from Local Museums

Abstract

In terms of prehistoric cultures, Southwest Anatolia represents almost a terra incognita. The limited number of research carried out in the region is far from reflecting the full archaeological potential of the early periods. However, ever-increasing number of recent excavations and surveys conducted both in coastal areas and inland zones proved the existence of strong prehistoric cultures in Western Anatolia and their intense relations with neighbouring areas from the Neolithic period onwards.

In order to fill the above-mentioned gap, a project was initiated to study and evaluate the whole inventory of the Early Bronze Age material kept in the museums of MuÄŸla province and its districts in order to reveal the unique character and cultural development of Southwest Anatolia within the context of Anatolian and Aegean cultures during the Early Bronze Age. Preliminary studies on this material already proved its potential on reflecting the general inventory of the region for this particular period, but also on the content and extent of cultural interactions with different cultural zones. Thus, this paper aims to summarize the available data with an up-to-date research history of the region and form a basis for future studies and problems.