Yener, Aslihan (1946–)

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Yener, Aslihan (1946–)

Turkish-American archaeologist. Name variations: Kutlu Aslihan Yener; K. Aslihan Yener. Born July 21, 1946, in Istanbul, Turkey; dau. of Reha Turkkan and Eire Guntekin; raised in New Rochelle, NY; studied chemistry at Adelphi University; studied archeology at Robert College (later Bosphorus University) in Istanbul (graduated, 1969); Columbia University, PhD, 1980.

Conducted chemical analyses of ancient Middle East silver and lead objects to reveal the mines from which they originated; studied tin, which was used to make bronze and metal objects during the Bronze Age (3000–1100 bce); discovered Bronze Age tin mine remains in Taurus Mountains (formerly Anatolia, Turkey, 1987), while working as associate history professor at Bosphorus University (1980–88); discovered Goltepe (1989), a city site where tin ore was refined, near Taurus Mountains site, which confirmed that the area was an important tin site; became associate professor at University of Chicago's Oriental Institute; created new technique to analyze chemical composition of ancient objects using Argonne Laboratories' Advanced Photon Source, a device that reveals how objects were made and fixed (1998). Received Daughters of Ataturk Women of Distinction Award (2000).