Settlement layout and social organisation in the mid-6th Millennium BC at Ugurlu on the island of Gokceada, North-eastern Aegean

Abstract

This article examines the complex social organization that emerged in the mid-6(th) Millennium BC from the perspective of new research conducted in Ugurlu (Phase III), on the island of Gokceada (Imbros). The mid-6(th) Millennium BC witnessed major cultural transformations and abrupt changes in virtually all regions from Anatolia to Central Europe, as new settlements brought new forms of social organization. Our aim here is to stimulate further debate about the early complex social organization in the mid-6(th) Millennium BC. The results of this study reveal a well-organized rural community on the island, reflected in the complex settlement layout, with ritual areas, multifunctional central buildings and activity areas.