Mendik Tepe located in Sanliurfa, Turkey, with earliest Neolithic layers. Site potentially older than Göbekli Tepe dated 9600 BC. Excavated by Douglas Baird as part of Taş Tepeler project. Structures include 3m-diameter small buildings for food storage or prep. Medium 4-5m buildings served as houses. Large structures held ritual significance. Site multifunctional unlike ritual-only Göbekli Tepe. Combines daily life and spiritual practices. Features vertical stones not T-shaped pillars. Key to understanding abandonment of nomadism for permanent settlement. Neolithic transformation began in southeast Turkey over 11,000 years ago. Complex social organization evident in varied structures. Belongs to network of prehistoric settlements. Initial analyses confirm dawn of Neolithic dating.