Comparing Near Eastern Neolithic Megasites and Southwestern Pueblos: Population Size, Exceptionalism and Historical Trajectories

Near Eastern Neolithic 'megasites,' such as Çatalhöyük, are often viewed as exceptional due to their size and early dates. However, a comparative analysis challenges this notion by drawing parallels with late prehispanic and historic-period pueblos in the American Southwest. The study argues that these sites share similar population sizes, layouts, and social organizations, suggesting they should be interpreted as large villages rather than unique phenomena. Four key factors—surface architectural visibility, regional intellectual traditions focusing on micro versus macro scales, overestimation of archaeological population estimates (especially for 'biggest' or 'earliest' sites), and perceptions of continuity with later periods—contribute to disparate interpretations. This research recontextualizes Çatalhöyük within broader global patterns, emphasizing the need to reconsider how such sites are understood.

Bernardini, W., & Schachner, G. (2018). Comparing Near Eastern Neolithic Megasites and Southwestern Pueblos: Population Size, Exceptionalism and Historical Trajectories. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 28(4), 647–663. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0959774318000276