Special-Purpose Buildings at the Late Neolithic Çatalhöyük

At Çatalhöyük, a shift in settlement patterns around 6400 BCE introduced special-purpose buildings characterized by small, cell-like rooms, distinct from earlier domestic structures. Unlike the dense Early Neolithic dwellings with intramural burials, these late Neolithic buildings featured dedicated burial chambers. Building 173, examined in this study, exemplifies this phenomenon, containing two dozen burials both on floors and within fills. The research investigates the origin, character, and relationship of these special-purpose buildings to other dwellings, drawing from excavations in the TP, TPC, and East Areas. This shift marks a significant change in funerary practices and architectural organization at Çatalhöyük.

Filipowicz, P., & Marciniak, A. (2024). Special-Purpose Buildings at the Late Neolithic Çatalhöyük. Households & Collective Buildings in Western Asian Neolithic Societies, 117–127. https://doi.org/10.1484/m.lema-eb.5.136710