Settlement Systems and Spatial Organization in the Pre‐pottery Neolithic Upper Tigris Region

Summary This article examines the settlement systems and spatial organization in the Upper Tigris region during the Pre‐pottery Neolithic (PPN), based on data from recent rescue excavations and ongoing systematic fieldwork. The approach focuses on location preferences, covering valleys, river terraces, and water sources. Settlement layouts and scale, and the spatial distribution of communal areas are considered in relation to household practices. Evidence from neighbouring regions, particularly the Middle Euphrates basin, is briefly contemplated to provide a comparative background. The available data demonstrates that the Early Neolithic settlements in the Upper Tigris region generally developed within valley settings. They were characterized by a dispersed, multi‐centred pattern, suggesting locally variable ways of handling settled life.