Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
Published on: November 30, 2021
The early Upper Paleolithic occupations at Uçağizli Cave (Hatay, Turkey)
Steven L Kuhn1, Mary C Stiner, Erksin Güleç
1Department of Anthropology, P.O. Box 210030, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. skuhn@email.arizona.edu
Abstract:
This paper summarizes results from excavations at Uçağizli Cave (Hatay, Turkey) between 1999 and 2002 and 2005. This collapsed karstic chamber contains a sequence of early Upper Paleolithic deposits that span an interval between roughly 29,000 and 41,000 (uncalibrated) radiocarbon years BP. Lithic assemblages can be assigned to two major chronostratigraphic units. The earliest assemblages correspond with the Initial Upper Paleolithic, whereas the most recent ones fit within the definition of the Ahmarian. Substantial assemblages of stone tools, vertebrate faunal remains, ornaments, osseous artifacts, and other cultural materials provide an unusually varied picture of human behavior during the earliest phases of the Upper Paleolithic in the northern Levant. The sequence at Uçağizli Cave documents the technological transition between Initial Upper Paleolithic and Ahmarian, with a high degree of continuity in foraging and technological activities. The sequence also documents major shifts in occupational intensity and mobility.
Related Concept Videos
Robbers Cave
Conditions on Early Earth
Quarrying of Stone
One common method involves using a diamond belt saw to cut large blocks from the quarry face. These blocks can be about 50 feet long and 12 feet high. After the initial vertical cut, drilling is performed at the base of the block.
The Fossil Record
Urologic Endoscopic Procedure: Cystoscopic Examination
Bones of the Upper Limb: Humerus