Middle Bronze Age Animal-Based Subsistence at Toprakhisar Höyük and Tell Atchana: A Zooarchaeological Study

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2025-1
Grissa, Zeineb
This thesis examines the contribution of animal subsistence patterns at Middle Bronze Age Toprakhisar Höyük and Tell Atchana to understanding socio-economic dynamics and key historical events of the period: the abandonment of Toprakhisar Höyük and the destruction of Alalakh by the Hittites. By analyzing species diversity, skeletal representation, and demographic profiles, central dietary species are identified alongside evidence of variation in animal use and consumption practices across chronological phases, which may reflect both local adaptations and broader inter-site interactions. Comparisons between the two sites reveal a mixed subsistence strategy at Toprakhisar Höyük, involving domesticates (caprines, pigs, cattle) and wild animals, and a more specialized caprine-focused exploitation approach at Tell Atchana, potentially confirming their center-periphery roles within the Syro-Anatolian region.
Citation Formats
Z. Grissa, “Middle Bronze Age Animal-Based Subsistence at Toprakhisar Höyük and Tell Atchana: A Zooarchaeological Study,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2025.