In the 17th century, even before the idea of prehistory had fully taken shape, some flint finds began to be considered by European intellectuals. For example, Sir William Dugdale, as early as the mid-17th century, proposed the ancient nature of such flints in his 1650 book, History of Warwickshire. Meanwhile, in 1766, Charles Lyttelton declared the undeniable human-made and ancient nature of the stone tools in question to the Society of Antiquaries in London, and published his findings in the Archaeologia Journal in 1773. Although their age was unknown, they were generally able to provide a date of "before the use of metal."
However, high-quality and meticulously crafted handaxe finds were discovered in Hoxne, England, in 1797 by John Frere and published in the Archaeologia Journal in 1800.
Although these efforts were not fully understood at the time, they were actually the first Paleolithic Age finds. In 1865, Sir John William Lubbock was the first to use the term "Paleolithic" in his book Prehistoric Times. In other words, as of 2023, we have been using the term Paleolithic for only 158 years. The first Paleolithic Age find in Anatolia was a handaxe discovered by French archaeologist Joseph Etienne Gautier in Birecik, Şanlıurfa, in 1894. This means it was discovered only 97 years after John Frere and only 29 years after the term Paleolithic was first used.
The oldest Paleolithic Age excavation in Turkey was initiated in 1937 by Şevket Aziz Kansu on behalf of Ankara University. Therefore, data from before this date are isolated finds and cannot be considered within the scope of the excavations. The Ankara-Etiyokusu excavations in 1937 were of great importance in initiating fieldwork. Professor Eugene Pittard also accompanied the Etiyokuşu excavations. At this time, İsmail Kılıç Kökten was Mr. Kansu's student and assistant. Kansu was actually only one year older than Kökten. İsmail Kılıç Kökten's 12-year teaching experience before entering the academy led to his somewhat later start in the profession.
In the 17th century, even before the idea of prehistory had fully taken shape, some flint finds began to be considered by European intellectuals. For example, Sir William Dugdale, as early as the mid-17th century, proposed the ancient nature of such flints in his 1650 book, History of Warwickshire. Meanwhile, in 1766, Charles Lyttelton declared the undeniable human-made and ancient nature of the stone tools in question to the Society of Antiquaries in London, and published his findings in the Archaeologia Journal in 1773. Although their age was unknown, they were generally able to provide a date of "before the use of metal."
However, high-quality and meticulously crafted handaxe finds were discovered in Hoxne, England, in 1797 by John Frere and published in the Archaeologia Journal in 1800.
Although these efforts were not fully understood at the time, they were actually the first Paleolithic Age finds. In 1865, Sir John William Lubbock was the first to use the term "Paleolithic" in his book Prehistoric Times. In other words, as of 2023, we have been using the term Paleolithic for only 158 years. The first Paleolithic Age find in Anatolia was a handaxe discovered by French archaeologist Joseph Etienne Gautier in Birecik, Şanlıurfa, in 1894. This means it was discovered only 97 years after John Frere and only 29 years after the term Paleolithic was first used.
The oldest Paleolithic Age excavation in Turkey was initiated in 1937 by Şevket Aziz Kansu on behalf of Ankara University. Therefore, data from before this date are isolated finds and cannot be considered within the scope of the excavations. The Ankara-Etiyokusu excavations in 1937 were of great importance in initiating fieldwork. Professor Eugene Pittard also accompanied the Etiyokuşu excavations. At this time, İsmail Kılıç Kökten was Mr. Kansu's student and assistant. Kansu was actually only one year older than Kökten. İsmail Kılıç Kökten's 12-year teaching experience before entering the academy led to his somewhat later start in the profession.