Archaeologists studying a prehistoric settlement in southeastern Turkey say discoveries are reshaping how researchers understand the rise of early settled human communities in the region. The findings come from excavations at a site called Şika Rika 5 in Mardin Province.
The research, led by archaeologist Ergül Kodaş and published in the journal Antiquity, suggests that organized settlement in this area began earlier and developed differently than previously believed.
For decades, scholars focused mainly on famous Neolithic sites along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, including the well-known site of Göbekli Tepe. These locations helped shape the dominant narrative about how agriculture and permanent settlements spread across ancient Mesopotamia. However, large parts of the nearby Habur Valley remained poorly studied, leaving major gaps in the archaeological record.
The new research changes that picture. Surveys and excavations carried out in 2022 and 2023 uncovered dozens of previously unknown prehistoric sites in the northeastern Habur Valley. Among them, Şika Rika 5 stands out as one of the most important discoveries.
Archaeologists uncover a cluster of prehistoric settlements
The Şika Rika area lies about two kilometers northeast of Akıncı village in Turkey’s Mardin Province. Researchers identified around 20 prehistoric settlements scattered across limestone foothills along the southern edge of the Mardin Plateau.
The sites sit only a few hundred meters apart, suggesting that the region supported dense human activity thousands of years ago. Archaeologists found clear architectural remains on the surface, indicating that these settlements once contained organized structures and living spaces.
A 10,000-year-old settlement in southeastern Türkiye is helping researchers rethink how early communities formed.
Archaeologists led by Ergül Kodaş uncovered circular limestone dwellings at the site of Şika Rika 5 in Mardin Province. pic.twitter.com/1niF7HOQ8V
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) March 11, 2026
Researchers identified at least three distinct settlement styles. Some sites show angular building layouts. Others contain large circular structures, while several smaller sites feature compact round dwellings.
Şika Rika 5 is one of these smaller circular settlements. It sits above a rocky slope on the northeastern side of the cluster. Despite its modest size, the site provides valuable clues about life during the transition from mobile hunting groups to permanent settlements.
Circular homes reveal early community organization
During field surveys, researchers identified 34 limestone dwellings at Şika Rika 5. The architectural remains extend across an area of more than 1,200 square meters (12,917 square feet).
At the center of the site, archaeologists uncovered three connected circular structures. The largest building measures about 6.3 meters (20.7 feet) in diameter. Its floor contains four stone-lined postholes and a circular hearth built from stone.
Two nearby structures measure about five meters and three meters across. Each also includes a central posthole, likely used to support the roof.
Illegal digging had disturbed parts of the site, especially around another structure known as A4. To protect the archaeological record, researchers conducted rescue excavations in 2024. That building measures about 4.9 meters (16.1 feet) across and contains a posthole, a hearth, and what may be a burial pit.
The layout suggests that small communities lived together in carefully organized spaces long before agriculture fully developed.
Stone tools reveal daily life and technology
Archaeologists also recovered a large collection of stone tools at the site. Most of the artifacts are made from flint, with a smaller number crafted from obsidian.
Researchers believe the flint likely came from nearby limestone deposits. Evidence from the site shows that toolmaking happened locally. Archaeologists found blade fragments, flakes, and cores used in the flaking process. Percussion tools used to shape the stone were also present.
Stone tools from a 10,000-year-old settlement in southeastern Turkey reveal how early communities processed food long before farming fully developed. pic.twitter.com/V8l5q2OPJn
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) March 11, 2026
The tool collection is dominated by microliths, small geometric stone tools often used as hunting weapons. These include crescent-shaped lunates, retouched bladelets and triangular points. Some rare examples of Helwan-type lunates were also discovered, which help archaeologists determine the cultural and chronological context of the site.
Other stone tools include burins, scrapers, and drills, suggesting that residents carried out a wide range of tasks.
New evidence for the rise of settled life
Excavations also uncovered grinding stones, pestles, and bedrock mortars. These objects likely played a role in processing food and plant materials. Their presence suggests that residents relied on a mix of hunting, gathering, and early food preparation techniques.
Researchers also found ornamental objects, including fragments of bone pendants and pieces of carved staffs. Animal remains recovered at the site indicate that people exploited a wide range of environments, including wetlands, forests, mountains, and open steppes. A few isolated human bones and teeth were also discovered inside some structures.
Together, the discoveries show that Şika Rika 5 belongs to the Epipalaeolithic period, which dates to the time just before the Neolithic transition to farming.
Discovery may reshape regional prehistory
Until recently, evidence for Epipalaeolithic communities in southeastern Anatolia was extremely limited. Only a handful of sites had produced similar material, mostly in the Upper Tigris Valley.
The discoveries expand the known geographic range of these early settlements. Surveys in the Mardin region alone identified around 30 additional sites that may date to the same period.
Researchers say these findings suggest that the development of permanent settlement in the region may have emerged from local cultural traditions rather than spreading directly from neighboring regions.
Further excavations at Şika Rika 5 and other nearby sites could help clarify how early communities adapted to changing environments and eventually developed the settled lifeways that defined the Neolithic world.
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