Relational Networks and Religious Sodalities at Çatalhöyük

A comparative analysis of Çatalhöyük and Ancestral Pueblo societies reveals that, despite architectural differences, both cultures shared a deep integration of religion into daily life. Unlike the contiguous room structures of Pueblos, Çatalhöyük's buildings were reproduced in the same spaces over time, lacking clear public plazas or suprahousehold religious spaces. However, the high ritual density and materiality at Çatalhöyük suggest that relationships with people, animals, plants, and objects played a central role in shaping social identities. This study highlights how religion influenced relational networks, intersecting with economic and political power to both divide and integrate village societies.

Mills, B. J. (2014). Relational Networks and Religious Sodalities at Çatalhöyük. Religion at Work in a Neolithic Society, 159–186. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781107239043.010