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FIGURINES AND GRAVE GOODS

by /Naomi Hamilton/

During the 1997 season 52 figurines were found, a few of which had been
excavated in 1996 but retrieved from heavy residue this year. The
majority were fragmentary, and most were parts of humanoid or animal
figures. However, several complete or almost complete figures were
found, as well as a number of fragments of considerable interest. Almost
all the pieces found this year were made of clay, the majority of them
lightly baked, a few were of plaster. Figurines were found in all areas
of the site - Bach, North, Mellaart and Summit -in contexts which would
equate with Mellaart's levels IV/V - VIII. This gives us a reasonable
time span over which to view changes and variation.

As previously, most figurines are found outside the living space of
houses. A number come from buildings, but this was generally from below
the floors or within the fabric of walls and fittings. Most were found
in outside areas containing a wide range of materials which could be
called rubbish. This is the case with human, humanoid and animal
figurines, and makes the interpretation of these artefacts challenging.

The most spectacular figurine was perhaps the complete one from the
Summit trench, found just at the end of this season's work on that area
(fig 17 </images/newsletter04/sum_fig2.gif>). Numbered _2675.X1_, it
depicts a seated figure and was hailed as a typical Çatalhöyük 'Mother
Goddess'. In fact it is unusual in a number of ways. It is extremely
small, only 20mm high, which makes it one of the smallest ever found at
the site. It is seated with stub legs or knees in front, rather than the
crossed legs or legs to one side under the body which are common on the
larger figures; the reduced arms which stick straight out from the body
while turning downwards, ending in a point, are very unusual, rather
reminiscent of much later figures from Bronze Age sites in Anatolia. The
well-known Çatalhöyük figures of this general type normally have
complete arms depicted, with hands resting on the knees or upper body,
and great attention paid to the hands. Further, although this figure has
a bulging stomach, it has no breasts. Some of these unusual features
could be attributed to the small size of the figure, but perhaps that
itself requires explanation. Finally, this figure has a hole in the top
of the body for the attachment of a head, which is missing. This is seen
in a number of figurines found both by Mellaart and during the current
work, but is relatively rare. The figurine is complete and undamaged. It
is rather crudely made, which could be a product of its size. It was
found in an external area interpreted as a midden, apparently attached
to Building 10, which is probably Mellaart level IV or IV/V. The 'fat
lady' figurines from Mellaart's excavations date between levels VI (only
one example) and III (several examples), so as far as date goes, this
one agrees very well with what was known previously.

Figure 21: Clay Figurine 2193 from North Area

In 1997 excavation of burials in Building 1, a large number of
individuals was found, and several were accompanied by grave goods.
Burials were also found in Space 112 in Mellaart area, but these were
without grave goods. A single bead, possibly of turquoise, was found
near the head of one skeleton, but there is no clear evidence that it
was placed intentionally in the grave. Artefactual grave goods were
found in six or more burials this year; in addition, a number of items
were found in heavy residue from last season which add to what is known
from burials excavated last year; some items cannot be attributed
definitely to any burial or skeleton, so that the picture is rather
confused in places.

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