The burials in Öküzini Cave (SW Anatolia)

The burials in Öküzini Cave yield important information concerning the burial practices of either the Late Neolithic or Early Chalcolithic periods. The age determination is indicated by a few pottery fragments. Radiocarbon dates of the burials themselves are as yet unavailable. No other graveyards have been discovered in any of the numerous Mount Katran caves. In addition, Neolithic and/or Chalcolithic open-air sites, such as small mounds, have not been located in the Antalya Travertine Plain. These burials are therefore the first evidence for ceremonial activities of people of either Late Neolithic or Chalcolithic age. The presence of such archaeological remains poses important questions concerning cultural connections between the Travertine Plain of Antalya, Mount Katran’s caves and the Central Anatolian Plateau.