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Archaeology

with [7]K. Kris Hirst
Your Guide to one of [8]hundreds of sites

On the yellow plains of central [52]Anatolia lie the remains of one of
the oldest civilizations on earth. Called [53]Çatalhöyük, the site
ruins represent a village of 300 mud brick and plaster residences,
based on a farming economy--in fact, the first farming community we've
found to date. The site was occupied from about 6300-5500 bc, and its
most striking and famous feature are the [54]shrines, shrines
dedicated to what has been called the "Mother Goddess."

Excavations at Çatalhöyük were first carried out in the 1960s, by
James Mellaart. Mellaart described a closely packed urban settlement,
lacking streets. The [55]residences were accessed through the roof,
into main rooms, each about 20 x 13 ft (6 x 4 m). The floors of the
rooms were lime-plastered, and covered with reed mats. The walls of
the main rooms were painted with red-colored panels, touched up over
time. Built-in benches and platforms lined the walls; small niches and
ovens were carved into them. Indoor grain bins were associated with
some of the residences. Figurines were recovered from several of these
seemingly utilitarian rooms. Non-utilitarian rooms were also present;
they are apparently [56]shrines. Elaborate wall paintings, and
displays of objects including decorated animal skulls were found in
these rooms.

[57]Burial customs for the peoples of Çatalhöyük were clearly
secondary; that is, the bodies were left in the open for a time, and
then the bones were bundled and placed beneath the floors of the
sleeping chambers. Only rarely were personal items interred with the
individuals, yellow ochre stains and personal jewelry were in
evidence, but little more.

Stone tools at Çatalhöyük include delicately chipped arrow points,
spearheads, and daggers; ground stone tools included mortars, pestles,
querns, axes, adzes and the like. [58]Bone tools have been recovered
from the site as well, including awls, needles, hairpins, knife
handles; wooden bowls and woven baskets have also been recovered.
[59]Ceramic vessels have been recovered from all levels. Most
remarkable of all are the [60]figurines from Çatalhöyük.Women
predominate as the subjects of the art, but cattle, goats and other
animal figurines are not uncommon.

But, if you traveled to Turkey to see the first urban site in the
world up to now, there was little to see. In 1993, [61]Ian Hodder
(University of Cambridge) began extensive [62]excavations at
Çatalhöyük, a full-scale modern archaeological excavation combined
with conservation, intended to provide the Turkish Ministry of Culture
and visitors with a well planned heritage site. Hodder and his team
have excavated for several years; a laboratory and a dig house have
been built, and a museum is underway. A full-scale [63]multimedia web
site has also been produced.

In a curious way, the differences between the ongoing research in the
1990s and that of the 1960s reflect a sea change in both the
method--and the responsibilities--of archaeology. That will be the
subject of my next Çatalhöyük article.

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References

4. http://archaeology.about.com/