Çatalhöyük: the leopard changes its spots. A summary of recent work

Recent analysis of Çatalhöyük East, a Neolithic site occupied between 7100 and 6200 BC, reveals significant shifts in social structure and health during its long occupation. The middle 'classic' levels (around 6500 BC) show evidence of increased population density, workload, and physical stress, likely linked to symbolic and ritual elaboration within an aggressively egalitarian society. However, the upper levels indicate a shift toward greater mobility, economic independence of households, and population dispersal, which may have facilitated the spread of farming populations into northwestern Anatolia and Europe. This study integrates data from extensive excavations (2000–2008) with earlier findings to provide a nuanced understanding of Neolithic societal dynamics.

Hodder, I. (2014). Çatalhöyük: the leopard changes its spots. A summary of recent work. Anatolian Studies, 64, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0066154614000027