The Importance of Chert in Central Anatolia: Lessons from the Neolithic Assemblage at Çatalhöyük, Turkey

Researchers have identified three previously overlooked sources of artifact-quality chert in Central Anatolia, challenging long-held assumptions about Neolithic economic practices. Using Individual Attribute Analysis (IAA) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), the study distinguishes these materials and traces their use by Çatalhöyük's Neolithic inhabitants. The findings reveal that chert consumption was intricately linked to broader resource exploitation and social networks, offering new insights into prehistoric economic strategies and interregional connections.

Nazaroff, A. J., Baysal, A., & Çiftçi, Y. (2013). The Importance of Chert in Central Anatolia: Lessons from the Neolithic Assemblage at Çatalhöyük, Turkey. Geoarchaeology, 28(4), 340–362. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.21446