There and Back Again — Towards a New Understanding of Abandonment Practices at the Neolithic Settlement of Göbekli Tepe

Abandonment at Göbekli Tepe, one of the world's oldest known megalithic sites, was not a single event but a complex process involving multiple phases of use and reoccupation. This study challenges the traditional view by analyzing sedimentary sequences and artifact distributions, revealing that the site experienced intermittent human activity over centuries before its final abandonment around 8000 BCE. The research employs stratigraphic analysis, radiocarbon dating, and spatial distribution mapping to reconstruct these patterns, suggesting that Göbekli Tepe's significance persisted long after its initial construction, with later Neolithic communities revisiting the site for ritual or symbolic purposes.

Schönicke, J. (2021). There and Back Again — Towards a New Understanding of Abandonment Practices at the Neolithic Settlement of Göbekli Tepe. Bridging the Gap: Disciplines, Times, and Spaces in Dialogue – Volume 1, 210–237. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.15135928.17