Fast Facts: Çatalhöyük
- Çatalhöyük is a large Neolithic village in Turkey; its name means "Fork Mound"
- The site is a huge tell—91 acres in area and nearly 70 feet tall.
- It was occupied between 7400–5200 BCE, and at its height, between 3,000 and 8,000 people lived there.
Full Answer
Where is Çatalhöyük?
Located near the modern city of Konya in south central Turkey, it was inhabited 9000 years ago by up to 8000 people who lived together in a large town. Çatalhöyük, across its history, witnesses the transition from exclusively hunting and gathering subsistence to increasing skill in plant and animal domestication.
When was the first excavated in Anatolia?
The site was first excavated by James Mellaart in 1958. He later led a team which further excavated there for four seasons between 1961 and 1965. These excavations revealed this section of Anatolia as a centre of advanced culture in the Neolithic period.
How was Çatalhöyük excavated?
Çatalhöyük was excavated in the 1960s in a methodical way, but not using the full range of natural science techniques that are available to us today. Sir James Mellaart who excavated the site in the 1960s came up with all sorts of ideas about the way the site was organized and how it was lived in and so on ...
When did the Neolithic era start and end?
Excavations of the Eastern tell have revealed 18 levels of Neolithic occupation dating from 7,400-6,200 BC that have provided unique evidence of the evolution of prehistoric social organisation and cultural practices, illuminating the early adaptation of humans to sedentary life and agriculture.
Where is the Neolithic site located?
The Neolithic settlements have been found in the North-Western part (Such as Kashmir), Southern part (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh), North Eastern frontier (Meghalaya), and Eastern part (Bihar and Odisha) of India. 10.
Which is the most famous Neolithic site?
Vaihingen (Germany) Vaihingen is an archaeological site located on the Enz river of Germany, associated with the Linearbandkeramik (LBK) period and dated between about 5300 and 5000 cal B.C.
Where is the largest Neolithic village located?
Skara Brae /ˈskærə ˈbreɪ/ is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland....Skara Brae.Shown within Orkney IslandsLocationMainland, Orkney, Scotland, UKCoordinates59°02′55″N 3°20′30″WTypeNeolithic settlementHistory19 more rows
Why is the Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük significant?
Çatalhöyük provides important evidence of the transition from settled villages to urban agglomeration, which was maintained in the same location for over 2,000 years. It features a unique streetless settlement of houses clustered back to back with roof access into the buildings.
What is the largest archaeological site in the world?
Located just outside Agrigento in Sicily, the Valley of the Temples is an astonishing example of Greek art and architecture, the largest archaeological site in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
What is the oldest and best excavated Neolithic site?
White agrees that Gona has the best unequivocal evidence for being the oldest archaeological site.
Is Çatalhöyük the first city?
Well, at the moment, Çatalhöyük is the first known city in the world – the first place where surrounding villages came together and formed a central location and began the sort of urban civilization that dominates the modern world.
What is the meaning of Neolithic sites?
Neolithic is used to describe things relating to the period when people had started farming but still used stone for making weapons and tools. ... neolithic culture. The monument was Stone Age or Neolithic. COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary.
Who named Skara Brae?
Watt recognized that he had found something important, and contacted local antiquarian George Petrie. Petrie began the first excavations of the site, carefully documenting and cataloging everything he found. By 1868, he had fully uncovered four houses at the site, named Skara Brae after the mound which had covered it.
Why was Çatalhöyük abandoned?
Researchers believe the very process of digging for clay changed the river's drainage and eventually its course, which may have contributed to the abandonment of what they call the East Mound for the nearby West Mound around 6000 B.C. It's evidence that suggests humans at Çatalhöyük — and possibly elsewhere — were ...
Can you visit Çatalhöyük?
Çatalhöyük is open daily from 9:00-17:00 year round. However the optimum time to visit is during the excavation season when the site is at its most active. Our final excavation season runs from May to September 2016.
Where is Çatalhöyük located today?
central TurkeyWhere is Çatalhöyük? The site is in central Turkey, southeast of the modern city of Konya. Archaeologists believe the ancient city covered an area the size of 50 soccer fields!
What are some famous Neolithic archaeological sites?
NeolithicArdgroom, Ireland.Avebury, Britain.Bylany, Czech Republic.Carnac stones, France.Carrigagulla, Ireland.Çatalhöyük, Turkey.Cucuteni-Trypillian culture, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine.Glantane east, Ireland.More items...
Why is the Neolithic period famous?
The Neolithic period is significant for its megalithic architecture, the spread of agricultural practices, and the use of polished stone tools.
What are the two famous towns in Neolithic period?
List of Neolithic settlementsNameLocationPeriodTell Abu HureyraMesopotamiac. 9,500 – 7,500 BCETell AswadSyria, Levantc. 9500 – 8700 BCE c. 8700 – 7500 BCEJerichoJordan Valley, Levantc. 9,500 – 7,370 BCE c. 6,800 – 5,850 BCE c. 5,850 – 4,500 BCELepenski VirDonji Milanovac, Serbiac. 9,500 – 6,000 BCE76 more rows
What are the major Neolithic sites in Kerala?
Edakkal cave is situated at Ambukuthi Hills in Sulthan Bathery is in Wayanad district, Kerala. The rock engravings of Edakkal cave is 3000 to 6000 years old. It is the only known place for stone age carvings in South India. The contain drawings range over periods from the Neolithic as early as 5,000 BC to 1,000 BCE.
When was the first settlement in the Neolithic world?
The earliest settlement in the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük goes back to 7500 AD.
How far is Konya from the Neolithic site?
The distance between the city center of Konya and the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük is 44 kilometers, which will take approximately 50 minutes of driving. In the summertime, you can find minibusses that go to the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük from the city center.
Why Çatalhöyük named “Çatalhöyük”?
This Neolithic site was named Çatalhöyük because it consists of two mounds that are located in a way that would remind you of a fork. To be more specific, the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük is a big mound that consists of two other mounts in different heights. And the shape of the mound gave it its name.
What did people do in the Neolithic era?
The findings in the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük proves that in the first eras of Çatalhöyük, people were earning their lives with hunting and gathering. Yet findings also prove that people transitioned into agriculture, starting with the Neolithic Evolution. After the Neolithic evolution, it is seen that people started to plant vegetables like peas, and grain products such as wheat and barley. At this time, people did not abandon the hunting, they were hunting excessively in this era as well. But while they were hunting, they made it possible to domesticate cattle.
What are the walls of the Neolithic houses?
Those artworks include rug patterns with geometrical shapes, scenes from hunting events, starts, different kinds of wild animals. It has been observed that those artworks are more common and frequent in the rooms that they bury dead people. This might be due to the artwork being relevant to the dead people.
Why were houses at different heights in the Neolithic period?
Since the area that the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük was built was not plain and houses were at different heights, this difference was used as a way to optimize lighting and ventilation. The windows in each house were designed in a way that would maximize the daylight that comes in from the window and makes good ventilation possible. All components of the residences including soles and walls were plastered with white plaster by multiple layers. A plaster which is approximately 3 centimeters in thickness was used 160 times to layer it.
How many different kinds of structures are there in the Neolithic world?
Those different kinds of structures are over 40 in terms of number. The walls of those sacred structures were filled with beliefs illustrating the gods of hunting and abundance. In addition to beliefs in gods and goddesses, in the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, natural events such as natural disasters and weather conditions were considered as something extraordinary, and people give place to those events in the carvings.
Visiting The Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük
History of The Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük
- It is estimated that the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük was first established 9000 years ago.This small city, which was established next to a dried-up river, was used as a settlement area for a group of Neolithic people. Since most of the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük is not discovered yet, there is little information about the history. Formerly, settlement areas were not used permanent…
Discovery of Çatalhöyük
- The Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük was discovered by a group of British individuals, including James Mellaart, David French, and Allan Hall.The area where the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük was found impressed James Mellaart so much that he decided to excavate the area in 1961. James Mellaart was curious about the area of the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük was found because he was worki…
Why Çatalhöyük Named “Çatalhöyük”?
- The word Çatalhöyük is a compound name in Turkish and consists of the words “fork” (çatal) and “mound” (höyük). This Neolithic site was named Çatalhöyük because it consists of two mounds that are located in a way that would remind you of a fork. To be more specific, the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük is a big mound that consists of two other mounts i...
Life in Çatalhöyük
- The remains in the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük enabled researchers to find so many things about life at that time, in Çatalhöyük.The researchers found information relevant to religion, culture, architecture, economy, and daily life in Çatalhöyük.
Facts About The Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük
- The Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük is a magical place with its history, artifacts, culture, and story. The following are some of the facts about the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük that you may find interesting. 1. The Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük is 5000 years older than the Giza pyramid in Egypt. 2. Even though there was no authority to rule the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, the site survived 4…
Further Information and Travel Tips
- As I mentioned earlier, the transportation to the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük might be difficult. The most convenient way to get to the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük is by car, and you can rent a car in the city center. If you do not have a driver’s license that is valid in Turkey, you might want to prefer a taxi. You can agree on a price with a taxi driver to take you to the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük a…
Frequently Asked Questions About Çatalhöyük
- If you are visiting the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük or if you just want to learn more about it, the following are some of the most frequently asked questions about it.
Overview
Çatalhöyük was a very large Neolithic and Chalcolithic proto-city settlement in southern Anatolia, which existed from approximately 7500 BC to 6400 BC, and flourished around 7000 BC. In July 2012, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Çatalhöyük is located overlooking the Konya Plain, southeast of the present-da…
Archaeology
The site was first excavated by James Mellaart in 1958. He later led a team which further excavated there for four seasons between 1961 and 1965. These excavations revealed this section of Anatolia as a centre of advanced culture in the Neolithic period. Excavation revealed 18 successive layers of buildings signifying various stages of the settlement and eras of history. The bottom lay…
Culture
Çatalhöyük was composed entirely of domestic buildings, with no obvious public buildings. While some of the larger ones have rather ornate murals, the purpose of some rooms remains unclear.
The population of the eastern mound has been estimated to be around 10,000 people, but the population likely varied over the community's history. An avera…
Religion
A striking feature of Çatalhöyük are its female figurines. Mellaart, the original excavator, argued that these well-formed, carefully made figurines, carved and molded from marble, blue and brown limestone, schist, calcite, basalt, alabaster, and clay, represented a female deity. Although a male deity existed as well, "statues of a female deity far outnumber those of the male deity, who moreover…
Economy
Çatalhöyük has strong evidence of an egalitarian society, as no houses with distinctive features (belonging to royalty or religious hierarchy, for example) have been found so far. The most recent investigations also reveal little social distinction based on gender, with men and women receiving equivalent nutrition and seeming to have equal social status, as typically found in Paleolithic cultur…
See also
• Boncuklu Höyük
• Cities of the ancient Near East
• Cucuteni–Trypillian culture
• Göbekli Tepe
• Kamyana Mohyla
Sources
• Bailey, Douglass. Prehistoric Figurines: Representation and Corporeality in the Neolithic. New York: Routledge, 2005 (hardcover, ISBN 0-415-33151-X; paperback, ISBN 0-415-33152-8).
• Balter, Michael. The Goddess and the Bull: Çatalhöyük: An Archaeological Journey to the Dawn of Civilization. New York: Free Press, 2004 (hardcover, ISBN 0-7432-4360-9); Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press, 2006 (paperback, ISBN 1-59874-069-5). A highly condensed version was published in The …
External links
• What we learned from 25 Years of Research at Catalhoyuk - Ian Hodder - Oriental Institute lecture Dec 4, 2019
• Çatalhöyük — Excavations of a Neolithic Anatolian Höyük, Çatalhöyük excavation official website
• Çatalhöyük photos