Radiocarbon Dating and Bayesian Modelling for Çukuriçi Höyük

The development of reliable radiocarbon-based chronologies is essential for illuminating western Anatolia during prehistoric and early historic periods. The aim of this project is to develop such a chronology for the site of Çukuriçi Höyük. By more firmly fixing the absolute dating of its occupation levels, a substantial contribution will be made to the study of this region during the early and late Neolithic, the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze periods. Detailed analysis of radiocarbon (¹⁴C) evidence from Çukuriçi Höyük will notably help elucidate the spread of Neolithisation through Western Anatolia and beyond.

The ¹⁴C project will analyse the existing data generated during the excavation project, and where necessary augment it with further measurements from stored materials to ensure adequate representation of all occupation levels. A Bayesian approach will be used to obtain a precise chronology by constraining the absolute dating information from the ¹⁴C results with the relative dating information known from the stratigraphy. The Bayesian model for Çukuriçi Höyük will be published along with an assessment of its implications, and comparisons with ¹⁴C data available from other contemporary sites in the region.