SUMMARY
Altıntepe which is 20 kilometers east of Erzincan, was excavated in September 1959, by a group composed of Prof. Dr. Tahsin Özgüç, Prof. Dr. Nimet Özgüç, asistant Kutlu Emre, architect Mahmut Akok, photographer Selâhattin Öztartan. In this excavation carried out under auspices of General Directorate of Museum, and Turkish Historical Society.
According to the report of the excavation which was given by the excavators[57], they have discovered third tomb, 1.50 meters below the surface of ground into the cast slope of the Altıntepe, 40 meters above the plane. The third tomb consists from three rooms. In the second room, there were standing two coffins. In these coffins they have found human skeletons.
The human skeletons from Altıntepe, were brought to us for study, belonging to the end of 8000 and beginning the 7000 B.C.
The material in our possession includes, (see. fig. 1-4.) fragments of one calva and one calvaria, fragments of two lower jaws, one right humerus, fragments of one rigt two left femurs, and fragments of one rigt one left tibias. These all parts of skeletons belong two individuals. These skeletons have been numbered as I and 2.
On the calvarias which is some parts missing, the sutures are closed inside and outside. On the lower jaws the third molars have erupted and the long bones the epiphyses have united. The condition of the sutures and third molars indicates that these individuals were adult (number I is between 45-50 years of age, and number 2 is between 50-55 years of age). The morphology of the calvarias and long bones suggest that, skeleton number 1 belongs to a male, and skeleton number 2 belongs to a female individuals.
The calva of the female is dolichocranic and the calvaria of the male is hyperdolichocranic according to Garson’s classifications[58]. In the basion-bregma height-lenght index skull number 1 is chamaecran. In the basion -bregma height-breadth index skull number I is metriocran, in the middle group. In the porion-bregma height-length index both are orthocran, and in the porion-bregma height-breadth index skull number 1 is akrocran.
Cranial capasities of these individuals, calculated from Pearson’s (524.6 4-0.000266 X length X basion-bregma height) formula[59] skull number I is 1240.88 c.c. The cranial capacities, again calculated from Pearson’s formula but by using the (porion-bregma heigt) in the skull number I is 1544.23 c.c. and in the skull number 2 is 1293.25 c.c. According to Sarrasin’s classification[60] the cranial capacity of number 1 is in euenkephal category for men, and number 2 is in euenkephal category for women.
The form of both skulls is ovoid, and especially in the crania of the man it is long-ovoid. The forehead of skull number 1 is receding and the glabella is of medium development. In the skull number 2 the forehead is approximately vertical and the glabella is weak. So the skeleton number 2 approaches the Mediterranean type in most of its morphological features, and the skeleton number 1 represents the Eurafrican type which is more primitive than the Mediterranean type.
The statures calculated from long bones (humerus, femur) of Altintepe skeletons by Pearson’s formulae[61] (Table. IX, X), in the skeleton number 1 is 173.61 centimeters, in tall stature category accepted for men, and in the skeleton number 2 is 153.71 centimeters, in medium category accepted women.
