A 5,000-year-old skeleton was found during excavation work in Burdur.

During the excavation work at Hacılar Büyük Höyük in Burdur, which dates back to 3000 BC, a skeleton estimated to be around 5000 years old was found. The excavation director, Prof. Dr. Gülsün Umurtak, stated, "This is a finding that is extremely suitable for the burial traditions of the third millennium BC, which we call the Early Bronze Age." The excavations led by Prof. Dr. Gülsün Umurtak, the head of the Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology Department of the Faculty of Letters at Istanbul University, have concluded for this year at Hacılar Büyük Höyük in the village of Hacılar, which is affiliated with the center. During the two-month excavations, a human skeleton determined to be 5000 years old was found in a pot in the western part of the mound. The skeleton has been preserved for examination.

'THIS IS NOT JUST A SITUATION SPECIFIC TO THIS SETTLEMENT'

Excavation director Prof. Dr. Gülsün Umurtak stated, "This skeleton appeared unexpectedly, and unfortunately, it started to flow from the section where we were excavating. The pot it was in had previously been broken and damaged, and we quickly collected the bones to save them. In previous years, we also found similar pot graves next to the buildings in the southern section. This is a finding that is extremely suitable for the burial traditions of the third millennium BC, which we call the Early Bronze Age. It is not just a situation specific to this settlement. In fact, the tradition of burying the dead in pots or jars has existed in earlier periods as well," she said.

'ANTHROPOLOGISTS WILL ANSWER THE MYSTERY OF THIS SKELETON'

Prof. Dr. Umurtak explained that the found skeleton was placed in pots resembling the 'hoker/hocker' position, which is the fetal position of a baby in the womb. "The knees are drawn up to the chin. Despite being in a pot that was severely damaged and flowing from the section, we were able to notice this position while cleaning and collecting. The skull was next to the broken pieces; it was not found intact, but we collected its fragments. The teeth were intact, and many of them were in good condition, but they were very worn. From now on, anthropologists will answer the mystery of this skeleton. We also know that some grave gifts were placed next to the skeleton. This situation is not unique to this region or this era. It is something seen in almost all geographies and eras. Immediately after cleaning the skeleton, we found a bronze piercing tool. It can also be thought that it was left as a gift for the dead. We did not find it among the very clear bones; we saw it in the soil, but I think it might have been a tool that the skeleton used while alive. They might have left it next to it," she said.