The Eskipazar Protohistoric Period Surface Survey (EPYA-2024), scientifically underpinned by the Protohistoric period finds unearthed during the Hadrianopolis Ancient City excavations in Eskipazar, Karabük Province, commenced its initial fieldwork on September 2, 2024, in Deresoblan Village, located on the southern border of the Eskipazar district. The first season of the surface survey was concluded on the final working day, September 21, 2024, in İnceboğaz Village. The geological formations that have shaped human habitation in the Eskipazar district throughout history can be summarized under a few headings. Southern Eskipazar features extensive, flat alluvial plains irrigated by the Gerede Stream, making the probability of encountering tell/mound settlements (höyük-type sites) significantly higher in these southern regions. Conversely, the likelihood of finding such settlements is low in Central and Northern Eskipazar; due to the geological structure, which is characterized by limestone-derived rocks, it is more probable to encounter prehistoric sites such as caves, rock shelters, or rock-overhang settlements in these areas. The final formation dominating the Eskipazar geology is the forests, and considering the low probability of finding cultural heritage remains in these areas, coupled with risks such as encountering predatory animals, the plan is to avoid entering forested terrain to ensure the safety of our team personnel. In light of these geological and geographical determinations, the types of settlements we anticipate discovering in Eskipazar for our Protohistoric period research can be summarized as tells/mounds and caves. Beyond these sedentary life traces, the lithic industry, characterized by large hand-axes dating to the Prehistoric periods, represents the other primary category of archaeological findings we expect to encounter.
