Örükaya: A Glimpse Into A Late Iron Age Rural Settlement in North Central Anatolia

his article presents the results of the 2017–2018 excavations at Örükaya, a Late Iron Age rural settlement in the Alaca district of Çorum, north-central Anatolia. Strategically situated on a ridge overlooking the Alaca Plain, Örükaya offers a glimpse into the adaptive strategies of small-scale communities navigating environmental and socio-political pressures during the Late Iron Age. The settlement’s location combined defensive advantages with access to fertile land and water resources, reflecting a carefully balanced site selection strategy. Excavations revealed architectural remains, a diverse pottery assemblage, as well as archaeozoological and archaeobotanical material. The pottery parallels regional patterns known from sites such as Çadır Höyük and Boğazköy, while the botanical evidence points to mixed agro-pastoral practices relying on drought-resistant crops and animal husbandry. Notably, unlike larger fortified centers such as Hattuša, Örükaya illustrates a more decentralized, environmentally adaptive settlement model. Though limited in duration, the site provides a valuable window into the resilience, resource use, and everyday life of non-elite rural populations, enriching our understanding of local responses to broader regional dynamics during a transformative historical period.