“Anatolia’s history dates back to the Paleolithic period , though only tools and small villages from that time have been discovered. Actual civilizations emerged during the Neolithic period, leaving their legacy in large prehistoric settlements like Göbekli Tepe, Çatalhöyük, Hacilar, Mersin, and Nevali Çori… “
I was watching an online documentary—you know, the ones with shaky cameras, high spirits, passionate ideas and a handful of views.
It reminded me of an essay in which I speculated that we might, in the upcoming future, find more ancient remains of our ancestors a little west of the region described above.
It feels good to say it.
I personally don’t care if we find something over there or not; I just wanted to say it, and I believe I am one and a half years too old to argue this point. You know the best part about writing a blog? Nobody is going to grade you, and I don’t have to repeat a stupid course because some weird guy thinks that he can only achieve bliss if he destroys my grades. Especially doing this to show your nonexistent authority to a STEM major—I believe, my friends, that is the concise definition of arrogance mixed with stupidity.
I am sorry for this, but I always felt like I have to get it off my chest.
Anyway, we will see hominids today—things that almost look like us but somehow disappeared, and we have no idea why.
Direct evidence of hominid activity in Istanbul is limited, yet not absent. The most significant clues emerge from nearby sites on the shores of the Marmara Sea, in Thrace, and along the Bosphorus corridor. Paleoanthropologists and archaeologists have identified lithic artifacts and faunal remains that suggest human presence dating back to at least the Lower Paleolithic. One significant site is the ‘Yarımburgaz Cave’, located west of the historical peninsula of Istanbul, near Küçükçekmece Lake. Though I haven’t visited in person, my research unveiled that this cave is one of the oldest known habitations in Turkey. Archaeologists have found evidence that Homo erectus might have inhabited this cave roughly 400,000 years ago, based on stratified stone tools and faunal remains discovered during systematic excavations. These artifacts offer a glimpse into the lives of these early humans, who crafted tools from locally available stone and lived in a landscape untouched by modern civilization. It’s compelling to imagine their daily routines—perhaps foraging along the lakeshore and exploring the nearby forests—and consider whether they experienced wonder or contemplated their existence as we often do.
On the Asian side of Istanbul, the Neolithic sites of Pendik and Fikirtepe further illuminate the region’s ancient past. Excavations at these locations, involving teams from various research institutions, have revealed mud-brick structures, chipped stone tools, and rudimentary pottery, suggesting that by around the 7th millennium BCE people had begun to settle more permanently. These communities cultivated the land, domesticated animals, and established trading networks, marking a key transition from nomadic existence to more stable agrarian lifestyles. Yet today, the exact spots where these settlements once stood have been absorbed into the modern urban fabric. There are no visible ruins for you to walk around, and the original layers now lie beneath streets, buildings, and bustling neighborhoods. If you want to delve into their story, your best bet is to visit the Istanbul Archaeology Museums—though they are admittedly quite expensive, and I might only consider going once I become the wealthiest explorer of all time—where some of the recovered artifacts are displayed, offering an indirect yet tangible connection to these early societies.
Yet, despite their advancements, these ancient communities eventually vanished. The reasons remain puzzling—anything from shifting climates to depleted resources, or perhaps social upheaval, might have played a role. Some researchers point to the Younger Dryas period, a sudden global cooling event that took place roughly 12,900 to 11,700 years ago, as a potential contributing factor. Environmental stresses, altered food sources, and the ensuing struggle to adapt could have forced these groups to disperse or change their ways, leaving behind scant archaeological traces for us to puzzle over millennia later.
But here’s the thing—I found it to be boring. You might say that I am entitled to my own opinion, and you’re absolutely right. Bear with me for a second. I have put some thought into why this subject didn’t captivate me. Perhaps it’s the sheer vastness of time against personal excitement. Or more like the stillness in the span of time, which really bothered me. Either way, one could easily see an underlying function or a pattern that would start from a stable state to emergent chaotic eras. Probably, I will find something more to my taste in between.
Radical Human 