Lower Paleolithic Dispersals or Extinctions: Out-of-Africa into Europe through Anatolia? (Dr Berkay Dinçer, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, Istanbul University)
1:00pm - 2:00pm /
Thursday 17th December 2020
Type: Seminar /
Category: Department
- Lucy Timbrell
- Admission: Free. Register via Zoom.
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The dispersals of hominin species out-of-Africa are usually described as continuous and successful events. However sometimes this process requires technological and anatomical adaptations which could be difficult or impossible to accomplish. Anatolia (Turkey) lies at the crossroads of the shortest land route from Africa to Europe. Its high elevation results in the harsh winter conditions for most of the region. Also its mountainous topography created separated ecological regions and faunal and floral endemism. Paleolithic research in Anatolia is in its initial stage, only a few excavations have been done and most of the country remains archaeologically unsearched. In this talk, Berkay would like to question the role of Anatolia as a gateway to Europe taking into account the scarcity and discontinuity of Lower Paleolithic occupations. From this point of view the Lower Paleolithic of Anatolia supports many unsuccessful attempts of colonization and probably many extinctions for the moment.