Identifying the Volcanic Eruption Depicted in a Neolithic Painting at Çatalhöyük, Central Anatolia, Turkey

Researchers have identified the volcanic eruption depicted in a Neolithic mural at Çatalhöyük, Turkey, as the oldest known representation of such an event. The study uses (U-Th)/He zircon geochronology to date andesitic pumice veneer on Hasan Dağı volcano, revealing an eruption age of 8.97±0.64 ka (or 6960±640 BCE), which closely overlaps with the radiocarbon dating of cultural strata at Çatalhöyük, including the level containing the mural. This finding provides the first radiometric evidence for a Holocene explosive eruption witnessed by humans in the region, supporting the interpretation that Neolithic residents artistically represented the volcanic event. The study also highlights Hasan Dağı's magmatic longevity and potential as a volcanic hazard.

Schmitt, A. K., Danišík, M., Aydar, E., Şen, E., Ulusoy, İ., & Lovera, O. M. (2014). Identifying the Volcanic Eruption Depicted in a Neolithic Painting at Çatalhöyük, Central Anatolia, Turkey. PLoS ONE, 9(1), e84711. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084711