Neolithic ditches in Kırklareli-Aşağı Pınar. Insights into a common phenomenon

拟议的项目包括对最近在AşağıPınar挖掘的新石器时代沟渠进行多学科研究，该遗址对于追踪安纳托利亚-近东新石器时代文化与欧洲文化之间的互动至关重要。这将由德国-土耳其团队合作20多年来进行。沟渠和圆形沟渠是史前欧洲的重要遗迹之一，通常被认为仅限于早期欧洲。最近在土耳其西北部新石器时代遗址的发掘揭示了复杂沟渠系统的存在，这些沟渠系统比欧洲早得多，同时表明它们的起源更远地向东，在初级新石器化的核心区。其中最重要的是在东色雷斯的AşağıPınar发现的两条沟渠，这是一个多产的遗址，不仅揭示了色雷斯早期新石器时代文化的完整序列，而且还位于安纳托利亚与东南欧的交汇点。这两条沟渠都被广泛挖掘，并用传统方法记录下来，揭示了一幅史无前例的图景，与先前关于新石器时代沟渠功能的假设存在争议。显然，它们既不是用来排水的，也不是用来防御的，但似乎有一些社会功能，如埋葬礼仪行为的遗骸。尽管随着AşağıPınar沟渠的恢复，其他几个地点也发现了类似沟渠的存在，AşağıPınar由于暴露的面积大和文件透彻，是最有希望进行广泛研究以了解沟渠系统的地点。拟议的方案将首先实施几种新的模式，以改进已经编制的文件和采购数据，以便进行全面评估。在建议的工作包中，对沟内各种沉积进行数字化和三维重建，对沉积物进行微观沉积学分析，对动物、植物和残留物进行分析，获得一系列能够进行详细测序的绝对数据。将对动物骨骼和考古发现进行编辑和分析，以确定其选择性。可以预见，作为AşağıPıNar的案例研究，拟议的项目将产生更广泛的影响；预计它将提供突破性成果，突出在新石器时代生活方式从安纳托利亚扩展到欧洲的过程中社会行为习俗的转变。

Proposed project covers multidisciplinary study of Neolithic ditches recently excavated at Aşağı Pınar, a site of critical importance in tracing the interaction between Anatolian-Near Eastern Neolithic cultures with those of Europe. It will be carried out by the German-Turkish team working together since more than 20 years.Ditches and “roundels” are one of the significant remains of prehistoric Europe, customarily considered as being restricted to early Europe. Recent excavations at Neolithic sites in Northwestern Turkey have revealed the presence of complex ditch systems that are much earlier then those in Europe, at the same time pointing to their origins further to the East in the core area of primary neolithization. Most significant among them are the two ditches recovered at Aşağı Pınar in Eastern Thrace, a prolific site not only revealing the entire sequence of Early Neolithic cultures in Thrace, but also critically located at the meeting point of Anatolia with South-eastern Europe. Both ditches have been extensively excavated and documented by conventional methods revealing an unprecedented picture controversial to previous assumptions on the function of Neolithic ditches. It is clearly evident that they were neither for drainage nor for defence but seemingly had some social function such as burying the remains of ceremonial acts. Even though with the recovery of ditches at Aşağı Pınar, several other sites have also became aware on the presence of similar ditches, Aşağı Pınar, due to the extensive area exposed and thorough documentation, stands as the most promising site for an extensive study to understand ditch systems. The proposed program will implement several new modalities firstly to ameliorate the already made documentation and procure data for a comprehensive assessment. Among suggested work packages, digitalizing and 3D reconstruction of the multifarious deposition within the ditches, micro-sedimentological analysis of the sediments, analysis of faunal, botanical and residue analysis, obtaining series of absolute dates that would allow detailed sequencing. The animal bones and the archaeological finds will be edited and analysed for their selectivity. It is to be anticipated that the proposed project will have wider consequences then as a case study of Aşağı Pınar; it is expected to provide groundbreaking results that would highlight transformation of social behavioural practices in the expansion of Neolithic way of living from Anatolia to Europe.