<p><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Research  historical background</span></span></strong></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<div align="justify"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Initiated  after the excavation of Cafer Höyük directed by J. Cauvin and O.  Aurenche between 1979 and 1984, the collaboration between Nur  Balkan-Atlı (Istanbul University, Department of Prehistory) and  Marie-Claire Cauvin (IPO/Jalès) is at the origin of the development of  researches on the diffusion of obsidian in the Near-East. The central  Anatolian and eastern Anatolian sources were the main focus but the  questions relative to Caucasian sources were as well approached notably  with Ch. Chataignier (UMR 5133/Lyon). This dynamic lead to a pioneering  collective publication in 1998 and since then an extensive scientific  literature. On the field, it lead to the excavation of the  Kömürcü-Kaletepe workshop by N. Balkan-Atlı et D.Binder (Mission  Française de Préhistoire Anatolienne) and to the excavation of the  paleolithic site of Kaletepe-Deresi 3, discovered by L. Slimak (TRACES,  Toulouse). It is as a tradition, now, Aksel Tibet and Nur Balkan-Atlı  organize seminars on Prehistory every year in IFEA. </span></span></span></div>
<div align="justify"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Current fielwork are in process in central Anatolia with the  research program ‘Göllüdağ Obsidiyen Araştırmaları’ is lead by Nur  Balkan-Atlı (Istanbul University) and a Turkish team with a  participation of American and French scholars (University of Arizona and  IFEA). A cartography of the obsidian sources on the Göllüdağ and  Nenezidağ volcanic complexes is on process. Geological samples are  collected and chemical analyses conducted on the volcanic glasses  (IRAMAT, Orléans). It will allow a better understanding of the modes of  the diffusion of this raw material. Our aim is then to recognize and  study workshops, stations or settlements near the obsidian sources.  Survey has been conducted since 2007 on the Küçük and Büyük Göllüdağ and  will continue in the future, including the Nenezidağ area. The obtained  results already thrown new light on obsidian procurement at the  immediate proximity of the sources.</span></span></span></div>
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