Excavations at Küllüoba Mound in Eskişehir's Seyitgazi district, ongoing since 1996, have revealed traces of an ancient burial ritual, where cereals, legumes and wild plants, possibly burned, were scattered into graves during interment, shedding light on prehistoric funerary practices.
The studies are being carried out under the supervision of Professor Murat Türkteki, aiming to shed light on the history of the region where continuous settlement occurred between 3200 and 1950 B.C.
This year's excavations in the cemetery area revealed plant and seed remains. It was thus determined that wheat, bitter vetch, lentils, peas and wild plants were used in the burial process at Küllüoba.
Türkteki noted that interesting data were found in the cemetery area of the mound, adding, "Similar findings were obtained in previous years, and we know of them from other settlements in Anatolia even before that. This year at Küllüoba, especially in some pithos burials and sometimes within mud-brick cists, we found very clear traces indicating various plant rituals were performed. Especially, wheat and barley types are among them. We can count both gernik wheat, siyez [einkorn] and bread/durum wheat. These appear to have been scattered over the graves. They were found sometimes within the graves."
Türkteki stated that they detected the remains of legumes such as lentils, peas and bitter vetch inside the graves. "The presence of legumes in the graves shows us that there was a ritual. The difference from previous years is that in most of this year's samples, we found very large fragments. These large grains actually indicate that they were stored as seeds and left in the graves during the burial ritual. Actually, every seed is a new beginning. This must have a symbolic meaning. Death is perceived not as an end but as another new beginning," he said.
He also pointed out that there are examples from the same period in different parts of Anatolia and that archaeobotanical experts are working on these seed remains.
Türkteki stated that the cemetery area at the mound dates back 5,200 years and was used for 300 years. He added that they have identified traces belonging to more than 160 individuals in the cemetery.
"Bronze Age communities were agricultural societies. They sustained their lives primarily through agriculture. It is very natural to expect such rituals in agricultural societies. It is a process connected to this, as wheat has always been the main product here. It plays a very important role in the entire economic process. Its presence in the graves is, of course, an indicator of continuity in this sense," Türkteki continued.
Symbolic language of mourning
Abdurrahim Cavit Özcan, the archaeobotanical expert for the Küllüoba excavation, stated that the scattering of seeds, possibly after burning, into the graves carried a spiritual meaning for that period.
Özcan noted that in addition to cereals and legumes, blackberry remains were notable in the graves. "The presence of blackberries suggests that the surrounding natural vegetation was not merely an environmental factor but also intertwined with belief, identity and nature consciousness. This indicates that the people of Küllüoba maintained their connection with nature even in death rituals," he stated.
Referring to the Küllüoba Early Bronze Age Cemetery as a non-settlement burial ground, Özcan said, "Since it shows a document intertwined with nature, significant amounts of wild plant remains were also obtained. Some of these are horse bean, bedstraw, saxifrage, goosegrass and white goosefoot. This practice can be evaluated not only as a burial tradition but also as a symbolic language of mourning established with nature and life in the face of death. The scattering of plants in graves with such a ritual meaning suggests the ancient bond between humans and nature and the perception of death not as an end but as a transformation."
