@article{article_1563883, title={Epipalaeolithic Ritual Practices at Gedikkaya Cave, Northwestern Türkiye}, journal={Anatolian Research}, pages={1–16}, year={2025}, DOI={10.26650/anar.2024.31.1563883}, author={Sarı, Deniz}, keywords={Epipalaeolithic, Ritual, Anthropomorphic Sculpture, Zoomorphic Sculpture, Gedikkaya Cave}, abstract={This paper examines the Epipaleolithic occupation of Gedikkaya Cave in northwestern Türkiye, which also served as a settlement during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. The Epipaleolithic marks a period of increased human mobility, likely influenced by climatic events following the Last Glacial Maximum. During this time, the cave functioned as a shelter or refuge for local hunter-gatherers and transient populations. Artifacts suggest connections between European Upper Paleolithic cultures and the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A cultures of Anatolia and the Levant. The study focuses on the extraordinary symbolic and ritual manifestations found in a layer dated to 13,166–11,200 Cal BC, including artifacts, niches, and a special area featuring a stalagmite structure. These findings suggest the presence of welldeveloped and complex symbolic structures.}, number={31}, publisher={Istanbul University}