Archeological research shows first residents of Imbros came from Anatolia 8,500 years ago

The first residents of Imbros, known as Gökçeada in Turkish, in the Aegean province of Çanakkale migrated from Anatolia some 8,500 years ago, according to archeological research which has been carried out on the island for the past six years. 

"Communities from Anatolia who were involved in agriculture arrived with their animals and supplies like wheat and barley, and occupied a small area," said Prof. Dr. Burçin Erdo?u, head of the archeology board in the U?urlu-Zeytinlik site, in a statement.

In an interview he gave to Anadolu Agency, Erdo?u elaborated on the excavation they've been undertaking 900 meters east of U?urlu village and how his team discovered the thrilling history behind the first residents of Imbros. 

"We want to know where they came from, how they settled, how they survived, how they led their lives. We want to know all of these," said Erdo?u, giving details about his team's mission, which was to detect the first residents who settled on the island.

Emphasizing the fact that this province was the earliest zone of occupation compared to the eastern Aegean islands, Erdo?u deliberated on the issue:

"Groups from Anatolia involved in agriculture brought sheep, goats, cattle, wheat and barley and settled here. We can see that during 6,000 B.C. the groups who settled here developed and slowly gained a communal identity of their own. During 5,500 B.C. there seems to be an interruption. We see slight changes in the architecture, nutrition and economy and thus the discoveries; however, the island preserves its identity. In other words, we can talk about a culture and an identity within the island." 

Intrigued by how the culture on the island came to existence, Erdo?u said, "We are examining how the...