The Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and Bronze Age archaeology: An archaeological predicament

Abstract

A survey of the archaeological evidence from the Marmara region, northwestern Turkey, presents significant problems concerning the Bronze Age cultures of the region. One of the striking results is the total absence of Bronze Age settlements along the eastern coast of the Sea of Marmara and of the Bosphorus. The absence of sites in this region, when considered together with the presence of submerged Bronze Age sites in the Black Sea, orients questions towards the water exchange system between the Black Sea and Marmara.