Туркийн Чанаккале мужийн Инкая агуйгаас Палеолитын үеийн хүний амьдралын ул мөр болон чулуун зэвсгүүд олдсон нь тус бүс нутгийн түүхэн ач холбогдлыг шинээр тодорхойлж байна.
Анкарагийн их сургуулийн Палеоантропологийн тэнхимийн профессор Исмаил Өзэрээр удирдуулсан 20 хүний бүрэлдэхүүнтэй баг зургаан жилийн турш малтлага явуулсны эцэст энэхүү нээлтийг хийжээ. 2016 онд анх бүртгэгдсэн тус агуйгаас олдсон олдворууд нь дундад Палеолитын үед буюу 250,000-аас 50,000 жилийн өмнөх үед хамаарч байна. Судлаачид агуйн зүүн талын энгэрээс 86,000 жилийн настай хүний үйл ажиллагааны ул мөрийг тогтоосон нь Анатоли болон Балканы хойг дахь эртний хүмүүсийн нүүдэл, суурьшлын талаарх ойлголтыг өргөжүүлж байна.
Инкая агуй нь эртний хүмүүсийн хувьд зөвхөн түр зуур хоргодох газар бус, харин чулуун зэвсэг хийх түүхий эд болох цахиур чулуу болон усны эх үүсвэртэй ойр байсан тул удаан хугацаагаар суурьшдаг цэг байсан бололтой. Эндээс олдсон олон төрлийн хэлбэр, хэмжээтэй чулуун зэвсгүүд нь хөрөө мэт шүдтэй иртэй болон бариул хийх зориулалттай хэсгүүдтэй байсан нь тэдний хөдөлмөрийн багаж хэрэгсэл нарийн зохион байгуулалттай байсныг гэрчилж байна. Эртний хүмүүс эдгээр багажийг арьс шир элдэх, газар ухах зэрэг өдөр тутмын ажилдаа ашигладаг байсан байх магадлалтай.
Одоогоор агуйгаас хүний болон амьтны яс, ургамлын үлдэгдэл зэрэг органик олдвор олдоогүй байгаа нь тухайн үеийн хүмүүсийн хооллолт, өдөр тутмын амьдралын хэв маягийг тодорхойлоход хүндрэлтэй байгаа юм. Гэсэн хэдий ч чулуун зэвсгийн технологийн олдворууд нь эртний хүмүүс хүрээлэн буй орчиндоо хэрхэн дасан зохицож байсныг ойлгоход нэн чухал мэдээлэл болж байна. Цаашид хийх микроскопийн шинжилгээнүүд нь эдгээр зэвсгийн ашиглалтын нарийн зориулалтыг тодруулах боломжтой юм.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
Archaeologists have discovered evidence of human presence dating back 86,000 years at İnkaya Cave in northwestern Turkey. The site has also revealed hundreds of flint tools that offer a glimpse into how Middle Paleolithic humans used local resources.
Located near Bahadırlı village in the Çan district of Çanakkale province, İnkaya Cave has become an important archaeological site after six years of excavations. Researchers are investigating how prehistoric populations lived and moved between Anatolia and the Balkans during the Paleolithic period.
The cave was first identified in 2016 during the Muğla and Çanakkale Provinces Survey, led by İsmail Özer from Ankara University’s Department of Paleoanthropology. Since then, several excavation campaigns have uncovered evidence showing that the area was used by humans during the Middle Paleolithic period, which lasted from around 250,000 to 50,000 years ago.
A team of 20 specialists carried out the latest excavations, focusing on the cave’s eastern slopes where the oldest dated remains were found. According to Professor İsmail Özer, the discoveries have changed the understanding of Çanakkale’s prehistoric importance, as evidence of Paleolithic life in the province was previously considered limited.
A Natural Site That Attracted Prehistoric Communities
The discoveries suggest that İnkaya Cave was not simply a temporary stop for ancient humans. Researchers believe groups stayed in the area for longer periods because the site offered two key resources: flint for making tools and access to water.
The cave’s geological structure appears to have been one of the main reasons humans chose this location. Unlike many archaeological sites where raw materials had to be transported from elsewhere, the people who lived at İnkaya Cave could collect flint directly from the surrounding environment.
The location also provides new information about prehistoric movements across the region. Its position between Anatolia and the Balkans makes it a valuable site for studying how ancient populations adapted to different environments during the Paleolithic period.
As explained by Professor İsmail Özer, research at the cave has shown that Çanakkale is one of the richer provinces in Turkey for Paleolithic discoveries. He also pointed out that cave excavations remain limited in Turkey, where many archaeological studies have focused on open-air sites, especially in southern areas.
Flint Tools Reveal Everyday Activities From 86,000 Years Ago
As reported in a release published by Archaeology News, the main discoveries at İnkaya Cave so far are flint artifacts. These tools come in different shapes and sizes, suggesting they were created for various tasks rather than a single purpose.
One of the most interesting finds is a toothed tool that researchers believe may have worked in a similar way to a modern saw. Archaeologists also uncovered tools that appear to have been designed with handles, possibly attached to branches, bones, or horns using resin.
The manufacturing process required careful work. Ancient toolmakers shaped the stone by thinning parts of the artifact and modifying the edges to create useful working surfaces. These tools may have been used for activities such as digging into soil or scraping animal skins.
The exact functions of these objects are still being studied. Future microscopic analysis of the stones could reveal traces left by their use and provide more details about how prehistoric people handled these tools.
Stone Remains Reveal Ancient Cave Life
On social media, the page Arkeolojihaberstated that while the cave has produced many stone artifacts, archaeologists have not yet found organic remains such as human bones, animal remains, or plant material linked to ancient diets. The absence of these preserved remains makes the stone evidence even more important for understanding how people used the cave and how they adapted to their environment in the past.
This means researchers currently know more about the technology used by the cave’s inhabitants than about their daily lives. The absence of organic evidence leaves questions about what these groups ate, how they lived, and how they interacted with their surroundings.
According to the excavation team, the value of İnkaya Cave comes from the combination of its geological features and archaeological remains. The presence of flint allowed prehistoric humans to create tools directly at the site, making the cave a useful location for repeated occupation.
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