Middens, Waste Disposal, and Health at Çatalhöyük

Extensive midden deposits at Çatalhöyük reveal a long-term record of waste disposal practices that provide unique insights into the relationship between human activity, waste management, and health in Neolithic communities. These deposits contain significant amounts of ash from fuel burning and animal and human feces, offering interdisciplinary researchers an opportunity to study how built environments influenced public health over millennia. By analyzing these materials using various research methods, scientists aim to draw parallels with modern urban health challenges, suggesting that ancient waste practices could inform contemporary sustainability and sanitation strategies.

Shillito, L.-M., & Mackay, H. (2020). Middens, Waste Disposal, and Health at Çatalhöyük. Near Eastern Archaeology, 83(3), 168–174. https://doi.org/10.1086/710134