RUB Research School
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Author

Name Schneider, Gordana
Research field archaeology
Career stage doctoral researcher
Home university/institution Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Department/Research unit at home university/institution History
Chair/Working group at home institution Institut für archäologische Wissenschaften

International activity

Country Turkey
Location Şanlıurfa region, Göbekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe, Southeast Turkey
University archaeological museum Şanlıurfa
Fund Non Research School
Type of activity research stay
Period starts 07-10-2025
ends 21-10-2025
Keywords Neolithic, media, cognitive archaeology, neurobiology, epigenetic, art history, symbolism
Report My doctoral project investigates whether the visual language of the Neolithic period is an indicator of the changes caused by the Neolithic way of life. How can the media and visual worlds be classified? The focus is on the question of what triggers led to media development and how this is expressed.

The focus of this research stay was the work at the archaeological museum in Şanlıurfa in Southeast Anatolia. I received a work permit for the museum from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and from the excavation directors and the museum director to work in the depot. The project was crucial for the progress of my doctoral thesis. I took some new detailed photographs and measurements of the artifacts from Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe in order to continue and complete the catalog for my dissertation. In addition, it was possible to examine the finds from Nevali Çori in the museum's storage rooms. It gave the opportunity to examine also small finds from there, such as figurines, stone plaquettes, and vessels.

The meeting and discussions with the excavation director at the site Göbekli Tepe provided support in order to supplement my research studies. Göbekli Tepe is an extraordinary site in the (formerly) Urfa region and probably one of the centers for hunter-gatherer societies. There are a variety of different artifacts that are relevant to my doctoral project. Excavations are currently still taking place at Karahan Tepe, located 40 kilometers from Göbekli Tepe. A wealth of symbols and media is also expected for this site, as well as rich decoration of the finds, almost like at Göbekli Tepe. With regard to my research project, similarities and differences between these excavation sites could be identified. Both sites existed in parallel for almost a few hundred years.
Overall, it was a very successful research stay.

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