Geochemical analyses to make the invisible more concrete: Cycles of building use and roof hatches at the Early Neolithic site of Aşıklı Höyük

Abstract

This study focuses on understanding the use of space at Asikli Hoyuk in central Turkey through the geochemical analyses of five overlying floors of a quadrangular mudbrick building dating to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Period. The research allows us to follow the process on a micro-scale, from the design and construction of the structure to its abandonment. We aim to perceive the role of plastered floors to gain insights into the producers and users of the building and those who kept it alive and maintained it. We will treat floors as one of the main actors of these spaces and zero in on entangled relationships by addressing a range of other aspects in the building. The analyses enable the identification of use patterns. Based on our results, we attempt to provide suggestions about the location of the roof hatches and hence the main access of the inhabitants to the external world.