Fig 1.
The archaeological site of Göbekli Tepe.
Main excavation area with four monumental circular buildings and adjacent rectangular buildings (German Archaeological Institute, photo E. Kücük).
Fig 2.
Schematic representation of the architectural horizons in the main excavation area (modified after a plan by D. Kurapkat [56]).
Fig 3.
Göbekli Tepe, rectangular buildings of layer II in the main excavation area.
(A) Building 25 with grinding bowl on the floor and benches; (B) building 9 with pillars and plate; (C) building 16 with three cell-like adjacent rooms; (D) building 38 (the lion-pillar building (German Archaeological Institute, photos K. Schmidt).
Fig 4.
Western profile of area L9-69 in the main excavation area showing several terrazzo floors in layer II and the second ring wall of building D as well as the origin of tested soil samples (German Archaeological Institute, compilation J. Notroff).
Fig 5.
Eastern profile of area L9-78 in the main excavation area, cutting through building D (German Archaeological Institute, compilation J. Notroff).
Fig 6.
Göbekli Tepe, excavated features and reconstruction drawing.
(A) Göbekli Tepe, excavations in the main excavation area, 2010. (B) Reconstruction drawing of communal work on the terraces and roofs with a view towards the monumental buildings (German Archaeological Institute, photo N. Becker, graphic J. Notroff, based on an architectural reconstruction by D. Kurapkat [56]).
Fig 7.
Grinding tools from Göbekli Tepe.
(A), (C) Neolithic handstones of type 1; (B) Neolithic handstone of type 2; (D) Experimental handstone of type 1, produced as copy of (C); (E, F) Neolithic grinding bowls (German Archaeological Institute, 3D-models H. Höhler-Brockmann and N. Schäkel).
Table 1.
Typology of the handstones from Göbekli Tepe.
Fig 8.
Typology of the handstones from Göbekli Tepe.
Schematic depiction of shapes (white), profiles (grey) and surfaces (hatched) of handstones at Göbekli Tepe (drawing L. Dietrich).
Fig 9.
Distribution of the types of handstones at Göbekli Tepe.
The statistical analysis is based on 1166 finds, which were analyzed in terms of both formal and functional aspects (graph L. Dietrich; the graph does not include preforms).
Fig 10.
Microscopical analyses of phytoliths and use-wear. (A-I) Photomicrographs of phytoliths identified in the samples (400 x magnification). (A) elongate dendritic; (B) elongate echinate (left) and elongate trapeziform short cell (right); (C) bulliform cell; (D) rondel short cell; (E) tall rondel short cell; F: cilindroid psilate cell; (G-I) multicelled structures from inflorescence bracts (photos J. Meister). (J) Photomicrographs of use-wear from Neolithic handstones and (K) from experimental handstone replica used for processing einkorn (German Archaeological Institute, photos L. Dietrich).
Fig 11.
Main excavation area. Distribution of grinding stones (German Archaeological Institute, map L. Dietrich and A. Beuger). The phytolith analyses of grinding stone surfaces were performed on the single finds marked with triangles.
Fig 12.
Distribution of the grinding stones. (A) In the rectangular buildings and (B) in the fill of building D (graphs by L. Dietrich).