The second GAYA Prehistory Seminar was held on Thursday, 12 February 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at the historic Bayazhan, hosted by the Gaziantep City Council as part of the project’s vision for public partnerships. The event was titled “Prehistory Seminars 2 – Human–Plant Relationships from Hunter-Gatherers to Agricultural Societies: Archaeobotanical Evidence from Prehistoric Periods.” Dr. Salih Kavak, a faculty member in the Department of Archaeology at Gaziantep University’s Faculty of Science and Letters, participated as the guest speaker.
The presentation examined the transition to settled life and the origins of agriculture from a prehistoric perspective, focusing on one of the most significant turning points in human history. Dr. Kavak also introduced archaeobotanical research methods and discussed how microscopic plant remains, particularly seeds, can provide insights into past ways of life. The seminar focused on the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to prehistoric research and presented recent evidence for some of the earliest traces of bread in Anatolia. Dr. Salih Kavak discussed the analysis of the finds from Çatalhöyük, which have been described in the literature as the world’s oldest bread. He explained that he continues his research into the origins of Anatolian bread culture at Gaziantep University. He also emphasized the importance of carbonized plant remains recovered from archaeological layers in understanding the historical foundations of modern diets and culinary traditions. These findings also highlight the potential contribution of the GAYA Project to a more comprehensive understanding of the region’s prehistoric past.
The event attracted strong participation from academics, students, and local history enthusiasts. It concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, providing an opportunity for prehistoric archaeological research to extend beyond the laboratory and engage directly with the city and the wider community.