Abstract
Life-history processes, which are recorded in archaeological artefacts, can reveal interesting insights not only into the different phases of the chaîne opératoire, but also on connected sociocultural and anthropological aspects in the different time and place. In this paper, aspects related to the life history of the macrolithic assemblage of the Kaymakçı Bronze Age site located in Western Anatolia will be presented.
Western Anatolia, a kind of borderland between the Mycenaean/Minoan and Hittite worlds, experienced in the 2nd Millennium BC rise of powerful local political centers, including the fortified citadel of Kaymakci. Recent excavations at the site revealed a considerable grinding stone assemblage containing more than 300 artifacts so far. To better understand the activities associated with the grinding stones, the artifacts were subjected to a comprehensive study that included contextual, spatial, morphological, functional, and geological analysis.
The study revealed that more than half of the assemblage is well preserved, and the artifacts concentrate in the lower more urban part of the citadel. The well-made standardized design with ergonomic adjustments of most grinding stones suggests the likelihood of specialized production localized somewhere outside. Finally, most of the tools are manufactured from volcanic rock sources located more than 50 km from the site. The Kaymakçı assemblage illuminated the aspects of challenging raw material transport, skillful production and innovative ways of holding and handling the tool that bring new insights into the life history of Bronze Age grinding stones. Furthermore, the results also confirm the special position of Kaymakçı as an inland site with wide connections to the coastal area.