Nevalı Çori is an extremely important Neolithic settlement located within the provincial borders of Şanlıurfa, in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. Inhabited from the late 10th millennium BCE to the mid-8th millennium BCE, this prehistoric center has significantly contributed to the understanding of the Neolithic revolution with its monumental architecture, T-shaped monoliths, and complex symbolism. Today, it lies submerged beneath the waters of the Atatürk Dam.

History

Nevalı Çori was discovered in the early 1980s during the construction of the Atatürk Dam and was the site of extensive salvage excavations led by Harald Hauptmann of the German Archaeological Institute between 1983 and 1991, prior to its submergence. The settlement is dated from the late 10th millennium BCE to the mid-8th millennium BCE, corresponding to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) phase. This period represents one of the most critical phases of transition from hunter-gatherer to settled agricultural society in the Near East. At Nevalı Çori, alongside rectangular-planned, multi-roomed residential structures, monumental buildings encircled by T-shaped monoliths, likely used for ritual purposes, are noteworthy. These structures, particularly alongside Göbeklitepe, present examples of the oldest known monumental architecture in the Near East, profoundly influencing our current understanding of the emergence of settled life and complex social structures. Nevalı Çori has demonstrated that even in this early period, societies were capable of undertaking large-scale communal projects and possessed sophisticated belief systems.

Geographic Location

Nevalı Çori was located near the confluence of the Balıklıgöl Stream and the Euphrates River, close to the Hilvan district of present-day Şanlıurfa province. Its proximity to the Euphrates River may have provided a strategic advantage, offering both easy access to water resources and potential trade routes. This geography is an important part of the "Fertile Crescent," where agriculture and animal husbandry first emerged during the Neolithic Period. The rich wild animal population, water sources, fertile lands suitable for cultivation, and proximity to raw material (especially flint) sources in its vicinity were influential factors in Nevalı Çori being chosen as a long-term and significant settlement. The abundance of natural resources in the region offered an attractive environment for communities transitioning to settled life. Furthermore, it is believed to have been in cultural and economic interaction with neighboring Neolithic settlements.

Significance in Antiquity

The significance of Nevalı Çori stems from its central role in understanding the Neolithic Revolution. This settlement has provided concrete evidence of the social, economic, and religious changes during the transition from hunter-gatherer to agriculture and settled life. Its monumental architecture and rich sculptural art, in particular, indicate the existence of complex belief systems and ritual practices. The T-shaped monoliths and the human and animal figures upon them are important symbols reflecting the Neolithic people's understanding of the cosmos, nature, and death. Nevalı Çori has offered a new perspective on the organizational forms of societies by demonstrating that large-scale communal structures could be built during a period when the first steps of agriculture and animal husbandry were taken, but full urbanization had not yet occurred. These findings have strengthened theories suggesting that religious and social organization may have developed parallel to, or even prior to, the development of agriculture.

Coinage

No coins from this settlement are recorded in the NumisTR database. Coinage is a practice that emerged much later, generally from the 7th century BCE onwards in Anatolia and the Mediterranean world. During the Neolithic period, a barter economy and other methods of exchange were prevalent, and the use of standardized metallic currency was not applicable. Therefore, the cultural and economic significance of Nevalı Çori is measured not by indicators belonging to later periods such as coinage, but by its being among the earliest examples of settled life and complex social structures.

Archaeological Remains

Excavations at Nevalı Çori have unearthed rectangular-planned, multi-roomed residential structures, as well as monumental buildings likely used for cultic purposes. These monumental structures featured courtyards surrounded by massive T-shaped monoliths, similar to those at Göbeklitepe. Reliefs and sculptures depicting human and animal figures were found on and around the monoliths. Among these, human heads, snakes, birds, wild boars, and other wild animal figures are notable. Additionally, flint and obsidi

Today

Nevalı Çori was submerged by the waters of the Atatürk Dam upon its completion in 1992. For this reason, the settlement cannot be directly visited today. However, the findings from the excavations are exhibited at the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum, and Nevalı Çori's cultural heritage is preserved through this means. The artifacts unearthed from Nevalı Çori and the information obtained continue to be one of the fundamental reference points for Neolithic Period research. The settlement's importance, along with other contemporary Neolithic centers like Göbeklitepe, is indispensable for understanding the complexity and richness of the Neolithic Revolution in the Near East.