The Prehistoric societies of Upper Mesopotamia and their subsistence

• Applicants: Dr. Lee Clare, since 12/2020; Professor Dr. Joris Peters; Professorin Dr. Brigitta Schütt
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology ; Physical Geography ; Animal Breeding, Animal Nutrition, Animal Husbandry
• Term: since 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 165831460

Fieldwork at Göbekli Tepe (English: ‘Potbelly Hill’) began in 1995. Meanwhile, the site stands out as one of the most important prehistoric discoveries of recent decades, not least due to its monolithic T-shaped limestone pillars, some of which feature outstanding symbolic imagery. On 1st July 2018 Göbekli Tepe was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Conceived as a long-term proposal with the prospect of 12 years funding, our project ‘The Prehistoric Societies of Upper Mesopotamia and their Subsistence’ began in 2010 and is divided into four phases, each with duration of three years. The present application is for the fourth funding phase. In the upcoming funding phase the close collaboration between archaeology (DAI), bioarchaeology (LMU Munich) and physical geography (Freie Universität Berlin) will continue. The research results from recent years are beginning to show a different picture of the Göbekli Tepe site. These new insights – especially from building archaeology, archaeozoology, stratigraphy and lithic studies – have been crucial for the on-going revision of the interpretation of the site. Consequently, earlier hypotheses and interpretations must be reconsidered, including the role of Göbekli Tepe in the broader Neolithisation process. This will be a key task for researchers working at the site in the upcoming years. Our proposed research is divided into a total of 12 different work packages (WPs): In addition to fieldwork (which includes small-scale excavations in four hotspots) emphasis of archaeological work lies on stratigraphy, building archaeology, lithic studies, and the publication of research results. Bioarchaeological research will concentrate on the continued study of faunal remains, including recording of assemblages from Göbekli Tepe and Gusir Höyük. Laboratory work will be dedicated to studies of geometric morphometrics, intrajoint pathologies, stable isotopes, and aDNA. Geoarchaeological studies proposed by the Freie Universität Berlin include, e.g. the reconstruction of Late Quaternary geomorphological processes around Göbekli Tepe.As in the last funding phases (FP C) an interdisciplinary work package (WP12) will combine expertise from all three aforementioned academic fields. WP 12 includes not only the joint evaluation of identified ‘hotspots’ at the Göbekli Tepe site but also the compilation of monographs.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Ricardo Eichmann, until 11/2020