Trajectories of Craft Production in the Middle Chalcolithic Period in Western Anatolia

Anatolian prehistory of the 5th millennium BCE has long been overshadowed by the developments of its preceding and succeeding time periods, namely the agricultural revolution of the Neolithic and the urban revolution of the Early Bronze Age. This millennium was hailed as a break between these two overarching narratives as settlements were small and short-lived and left much to be desired in terms of the available archaeological record. Due to its ephemeral nature and the very few numbers of settlements attested, western Anatolia, in particular, has been deemed 'empty' or without significant developments during this period. The small-scale societies of 5th millennium, however, had a variety of settlement strategies and craft skills that demonstrated their connectedness through a vast landscape as well as varying scales of craft production. The 'elusiveness' of the material record concerning this time period is simply a matter of research design, rather than a reflection of archaeological reality.

This study, in this context, investigates Middle Chalcolithic communities in western Anatolia through their craft production strategies to understand their social complexity and organizational flexibility. Focusing primarily on the pottery assemblage from Barcın Höyük, this study employs comprehensive chemical and mineralogical analyses. Additionally, the research examines evidence from other crafts, such as marble objects, to highlight differences in production scales and specialization. By comparing these various crafts, the research uncovers multiple trajectories of craft production that reflect the social organization, ritual, and daily practices of MC societies. This multifaceted approach demonstrates that small-scale societies can exhibit diverse and complex social structures simultaneously through their craft production preferences.