e International Symposium on Human-Ecology Relations through the Ages w, İzmir, Turkey, 4 - 06 December 2024, pp.24-25, (Summary Text)
Pulur Höyük is located in the Ömertepe neighbourhood of the Aziziye district of Erzurum province, near the Pulur stream, which flows into the Karasu River, and near Turnagöl Mountain, known for its rich obsidian deposits. The settlement is located in the fertile plain of Erzurum. This strategic location is of great importance for understanding the interaction between the settlement and its natural environment. Excavations carried out since 2021 under the direction of Dr Rabia Akarsu of Atatürk University's Department of Archaeology have uncovered seven layers dating from the Middle Chalcolithic to the Early Iron Age.
Numerous pottery, animal bones, obsidian, stone and bone tools have been unearthed. The bull figurines and portable hearth fragments found particularly in the Karaz Culture layers indicate the importance of a fertility cult within this society. The Middle Chalcolithic grain silos uncovered in the 7th layer indicate that agriculture was practised from very early times and that surplus produce was stored. In addition, the abundance of bones of domesticated large and small animals underlines the importance of animal husbandry and the livelihood of the settlement's inhabitants.
The evidence from Pulur Höyük sheds light on how agricultural and animal husbandry activities influenced social structure and economic relations. This presentation will detail how these activities interacted with the natural environment and shaped the social and economic framework of the settlement at Pulur Höyük.