Publications
Bodies in buildings: Human remains and the life histories of houses at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
At Neolithic Çatalhöyük, human remains were intricately linked to the life cycles of houses, marking architectural milestones and reflecting shared biographies between individuals and their built environment. Unlike other regions where burials often occurred in abandoned structures, most inhumations at Çatalhöyük took place during house occupation, with bodies embedded in floors or platforms. This study reveals how the construction, adornment, transformation, and abandonment of houses were intertwined with the lives of those buried within them, using examples to illustrate these connections.
Female lineages and changing kinship patterns in Neolithic Çatalhöyük
A groundbreaking study reveals that kinship practices at the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük underwent significant changes over 1000 years, while maternal lineages remained a consistent focus. Analyzing 131 paleogenomes alongside bioarchaeological and archaeological data from the East Mound (7100 to 5950 BCE), researchers found that early burials in shared buildings often involved close genetic relatives, suggesting familial use of homes. Later periods showed unrelated individuals buried together despite similar diets, indicating shifting social structures. The research also noted a lack of sex-biased mobility and a persistent preference for female subadults receiving burial gifts more frequently than males. These findings highlight the enduring importance of maternal lineage in Neolithic Çatalhöyük's kinship dynamics.
Gastronomy culture from the neolithic site of Çatalhöyük to 21st century
A study reveals enduring culinary traditions from the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, with significant continuity in the consumption and preparation of wild plants like terebinths, acorns, and plums into the 21st century. Using qualitative research methods—including document reviews and interviews with locals—the study traced food resource consumption patterns, highlighting how ancient gastronomic practices persist today. This approach provides a unique lens on human behavior and environmental dynamics, bridging millennia through culinary culture.
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.
Geometric morphometric analysis of Neolithic wheat grains: insights into the early development of free-threshing forms
A groundbreaking study using geometric morphometric (GMM) analysis reveals that Neolithic communities in Çatalhöyük (central Anatolia, Turkey) cultivated hexaploid naked wheat around 7000 BCE, while those in Kouphovouno (Peloponnese, Greece) likely grew a tetraploid wheat resembling 'unimproved' durum. This challenges previous assumptions about the spread of free-threshing wheats (FTWs) into Europe and provides the first reliable archaeological distinction between these ploidy levels using grain morphology. The research offers new insights into early agricultural practices and the cultural significance of FTWs in Neolithic societies, suggesting shifts over time in their perceived value or sustainability.
Plants to textiles: Local bast fiber textiles at Pre-Pottery Neolithic Çatalhöyük
Recent analysis of textiles from Çatalhöyük’s East Mound middle habitation phase (6700–6500 cal. B.C.) reveals that these ancient artifacts, previously thought to be made from flax, were instead crafted using tree bast fibers, including oak, elm, and willow/poplar. This discovery challenges long-held assumptions about Neolithic textile production in Southwest Asia and demonstrates the sophisticated understanding of local tree biology and seasonality among early textile makers. The study employed a detailed examination of five woven textile and two cordage fragments to identify raw material origins and thread-making techniques, uncovering an end-to-end splicing method that adds to our knowledge of prehistorical textile manufacturing processes.
Projectile Points, Hunting and Identity at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey
At the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, stone projectile points were not only tools for hunting but also played a significant role in shaping social identities. Analysis of these artifacts revealed two distinct groups: one used for hunting, showing clear signs of wear and damage, while the other remained pristine and was likely reserved for ceremonial purposes. This distinction suggests that hunting at Çatalhöyük was more than a subsistence activity; it was an arena for symbolic expression and social negotiation. The study, led by Dr. Lilian Dogiama, employed a comprehensive analysis of depositional context, use wear, impact damage, fragmentation, raw material, and techno-morphological characteristics to draw these conclusions.
An Integrated Zooarchaeological and Micromorphological Perspective on Midden Taphonomy at Late Neolithic Çatalhöyük
A multi-proxy analysis reveals that the midden deposits at Çatalhöyük, Turkey, underwent complex post-depositional processes that significantly alter the interpretation of past activities and waste management practices. By integrating zooarchaeological analysis with micromorphological examination of sediments, researchers identified natural and cultural modifications to bone remains, including those from animals and humans. This approach refines taphonomic interpretations, offering deeper insights into the site's Late Neolithic (Final Phase) dynamics compared to earlier middens. The study underscores the advantages of combining multiple analytical methods for a more accurate understanding of archaeological deposits.
Çatalhöyük East and Köşk Höyük
A challenge to the long-held 'grand connection' between Çatalhöyük East and Köşk Höyük reveals significant cultural divergence during the Neolithic transition in Asia Minor. Contrary to prevailing narratives, these sites exhibit distinct symbolic worlds, burial traditions, and material assemblages, undermining the assumption of direct cultural descent from Çatalhöyük East to Köşk Höyük. The study highlights marked differences—such as disparate imagery and burial practices—that complicate interpretations of regional continuity at the 7th-to-6th millennium cal BC transition. This re-evaluation prompts a reassessment of how cultural change unfolded in this period, emphasizing the need for nuanced approaches beyond grand narratives.
Contribution to Active Conservation: Characterization of Neolithic Period Mud Bricks Remains of the Archaeological Site of Çatalhöyük-Turkey
A groundbreaking study reveals that Neolithic inhabitants of Çatalhöyük used local materials and innovative techniques to create durable mud bricks, with variations in composition across different layers and buildings. The research, conducted during the 2014 excavation season, employed advanced archaeometric techniques such as XRD, SEM-EDX, and petrographic analysis to characterize six mud brick samples from the Eastern mound (C14 cal. 7100-5950 BC). Key findings include the identification of clay types (muscovite, kaolinite), organic additives (straw), and binders like gypsum and slacked lime, introduced progressively over time to enhance durability. The study also demonstrates that raw materials were sourced locally, with intentional modifications in binder composition across layers (VIA-IX) and buildings to improve brick robustness. These insights provide a critical reference for conserving Çatalhöyük's earthen structures while offering new understanding of Neolithic construction practices.
Geometric morphometrics sheds new light on the identification and domestication status of ‘new glume wheat’ at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
New glume wheat (NGW) at Çatalhöyük shows remarkable stability over millennia, with geometric morphometric analysis confirming its close resemblance to modern Triticum timopheevii wheats. The study reveals that NGW was undergoing selection for domestication traits, such as reduced shattering and grain form changes, during the 1150-year East Mound sequence. This suggests early investment in a less efficient but risk-mitigating crop alongside fully-domesticated emmer wheat, reflecting a broad-spectrum plant strategy at Çatalhöyük. The research also highlights the sensitivity of geometric morphometrics to inter- and intra-species differences, offering methodological insights for future studies.
New insights on commemoration of the dead through mortuary and architectural use of pigments at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey
A groundbreaking analysis of Neolithic Çatalhöyük (Turkey, 7100–5950 cal BC) reveals that pigment use in burials and architecture reflected complex social and symbolic practices. The study found distinct patterns: red ochre was most common, cinnabar was predominantly associated with males, while blue/green pigments linked to females. Notably, the number of painted layers in buildings correlated with the number of buried individuals, suggesting a connection between mortuary practices and architectural contexts. These findings indicate that pigment application followed specific selection processes independent of sex or age, pointing to shared long-term socio-cultural rituals involving visual expression and symbolic associations.
Resilience and adaptation of agricultural practice in Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey
Recent research at Çatalhöyük challenges the traditional model of floodplain cultivation, revealing instead a dynamic agroecological system where Neolithic farmers strategically planted diverse crops across varied hydrological conditions. This approach, spanning over a millennium, showcased remarkable resilience and adaptability to local landscape affordances, particularly around nutrient-rich areas near the settlement. The study integrates hydrology and agroecology data to demonstrate that farming practices at Çatalhöyük were more complex than previously thought, highlighting the importance of creative cropping strategies in early agricultural adaptations.
The use of prehistoric foods for resilience in heritage tourism: a case of Çatalhöyük, Turkey
Research reveals that prehistoric foods from Çatalhöyük, a UNESCO-listed Neolithic site, retain their appeal to modern tastes without the need for contemporary manipulation. A multidisciplinary study combined archaeological analysis with gastronomic reconstruction and sensory evaluation by tourism experts, demonstrating that authentic prehistoric cuisine is both palatable today and can enhance heritage tourism experiences. This finding suggests that archaeodestinations offering historically accurate culinary attractions could significantly boost visitor engagement, providing a foundation for future research on food-driven tourism resilience.
A microbotanical and microwear perspective to plant processing activities and foodways at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
A new analysis of Neolithic Çatalhöyük reveals previously unknown plant processing practices and foodways, integrating microbotanical evidence with microscopic wear patterns on grinding tools. The study, focusing on the Middle (6700-6500 cal BC) and Late (6500-6300 cal BC) periods, identifies a diverse range of geophytes and wild seasonal resources through phytoliths and starch analyses. By comparing microbotanical proxies with artifact wear, researchers discerned specific plant processing techniques, expanding our understanding of crop utilization at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Analysis of fine particulates from fuel burning in a reconstructed building at Çatalhöyük World Heritage Site, Turkey: assessing air pollution in prehistoric settled communities
Fine particulate (PM2.5) concentrations from fuel burning in prehistoric settings surpassed modern safety limits, with dung fuel producing exceptionally high levels (>150,000 µg m−3), far exceeding WHO and EU standards for indoor air quality. Wood burning also posed significant pollution risks, reaching up to 36,000 µg m−3 over short periods. Conducted in a reconstructed Neolithic building at Çatalhöyük, one of the world's earliest large settlements, the study highlights how dense living conditions, poor ventilation, and hearth design contributed to severe indoor air pollution. These findings offer new insights into the health impacts of early settled communities and the relationship between human habitation and environmental exposure in prehistory.
Breaking continuity? Site formation and temporal depth at Çatalhöyük and Tell Sabi Abyad
A comparative analysis of Çatalhöyük (Turkey) and Tell Sabi Abyad (Syria) challenges the assumption that spatial continuity of houses is essential for Neolithic social depth. Both sites, once seen as opposites—one densely agglomerated and the other dispersed—share patterns of breaks in settlement continuity, suggesting that social anchors to the past can be constructed in diverse ways. The study reinterprets archaeological evidence to highlight how discontinuities, often overlooked, shaped settlements and societies. By integrating spatial analysis with social theory, it argues that direct house continuity is not the sole means for maintaining temporal depth.
Holistic approaches to palaeohydrology: Reconstructing and modelling the Neolithic River Çarşamba and the riverscape of Çatalhöyük, Turkey
Neolithic settlements around Çatalhöyük, Turkey, were less vulnerable to flooding than previously thought. A multi-method approach combining sedimentological reconstructions, climate and vegetation proxies, and hydrological modelling revealed that crops in the region experienced more evenly distributed flooding throughout the year with relatively unerosive flows. The study also highlighted significant interannual and decadal variability, suggesting that subsistence patterns at Çatalhöyük were resilient to drought conditions, enabling the settlement to thrive for over a millennium. This interpretation aligns with archaeological evidence of diverse plant and animal remains.
The use of local fibres for textiles at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
A groundbreaking analysis of textiles from the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, using scanning electron microscopy, reveals that the fibres used were primarily locally sourced oak bast, not flax as previously thought. This challenges the long-held assumption about the use of domesticated flax for early textile production and suggests a greater reliance on tree bast during this period. The findings are supported by the near absence of flax seeds at the site, indicating that there was no need for importing fibres from elsewhere. This research reshapes our understanding of early textile production in the Near East and Europe.
“Let Them Talk!”
A study at the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük reveals that incorporating social interactions into digital storytelling experiences significantly enhances user engagement, learning outcomes, and absorption, regardless of individual personality traits. Researchers compared a solitary digital experience with one enhanced by system-driven interaction prompts designed to encourage group conversation and physical interactions. The findings demonstrate that purposefully integrated social elements not only increase talkativeness but also maintain narrative flow without disrupting the storytelling experience. Additionally, certain user tendencies influence enjoyment, offering valuable insights for future designers of digital cultural narratives.
A Glimpse through Time and Space: Visualizing Spatial Continuity and History Making at Çatalhöyük, Turkey
Archaeological visualization reveals how Neolithic inhabitants of Çatalhöyük, Turkey, maintained material links to their past through repetitive construction and retrieval of skeletal remains. This study demonstrates that multi-temporal 3D reconstructions of the Shrine 10 sequence—a series of superimposed buildings spanning much of the site's chronology (7100–5900 BCE)—can provide unambiguous visual representations of complex archaeological records, facilitating analysis of long-term history-making practices. By employing rigorous methods to ensure reliability and scientific rigor, the research offers a new tool for interpreting spatial continuity and commemorative behavior in this significant World Heritage Site.
Brick Sizes and Architectural Regularities at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
A detailed analysis of brick sizes and architectural regularities at the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük reveals significant temporal changes in construction techniques over 1,100 years. The study leverages the site's unique stratigraphy—with houses built atop one another—to document shifts both within and between structures across all major occupational phases. This rare preservation allows for a nuanced understanding of how early settled communities adapted their building practices, from the domestication of cattle to the emergence of long-distance trade. The research highlights the precision and standardization in brickwork, offering new insights into Neolithic architectural innovation.
Çatalhöyük and Its Landscapes
Neolithic Çatalhöyük was likely situated within a complex landscape of multiple interconnected river channels, featuring drier islands and localized wetter zones. This study challenges previous environmental interpretations by employing high-resolution sedimentary data to reconstruct the site's ancient topography and ecological niches. The research reveals a mosaic environment where riverbanks supported tree and shrub vegetation, while islands provided suitable areas for cultivation. By critically reviewing existing palaeoenvironmental evidence, the authors offer new insights into the potential land uses and environmental conditions that shaped Neolithic life at Çatalhöyük.
Consciousness, Creativity, and Self at the Dawn of Settled Life
Contrary to the hypothesis of a Neolithic cognitive revolution, research at Çatalhöyük and other Middle Eastern sites reveals long, gradual, and diverse changes in consciousness, creativity, and self without evidence of abrupt internal cognitive shifts. The study integrates theoretical frameworks from cognitive science with archaeological data, challenging expectations of rapid evolutionary change during this period.
Dynamic Houses and Communities at Çatalhöyük: A Building Biography Approach to Prehistoric Social Structure
A groundbreaking study challenges traditional views of prehistoric social structures by revealing that Neolithic houses at Çatalhöyük, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Central Turkey, were not static entities but dynamic spaces reflecting fluid social interactions. By analyzing the life-histories of four contemporary houses using fine stratigraphy, researchers traced changes in furnishings, burials, and spatial use, demonstrating that commensal groups were less stable and less tied to specific houses than previously assumed. This 'building biography' approach highlights unpredictable social collaborations within larger communities, suggesting a more dynamic model for understanding prehistoric societies in the Near East.
Interpreting mortuary treatment from histological bone diagenesis: A case study from Neolithic Çatalhöyük
A groundbreaking study reveals differential mortuary practices at the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, Anatolia, Turkey. Through histological examination of bacterial microbioerosion in human bones, researchers identified significant differences in bone preservation between juveniles and adults, suggesting varied burial treatments based on age. The analysis of 162 individuals using polarized light microscopy showed no gender-based variations in bacterial microbioerosion but highlighted distinct preservation patterns linked to age-specific mortuary practices. This study underscores the potential of histological taphonomy in uncovering nuanced social and cultural behaviors from ancient sites, offering new insights into Neolithic burial customs.
Middens, Waste Disposal, and Health at Çatalhöyük
Extensive midden deposits at Çatalhöyük reveal a long-term record of waste disposal practices that provide unique insights into the relationship between human activity, waste management, and health in Neolithic communities. These deposits contain significant amounts of ash from fuel burning and animal and human feces, offering interdisciplinary researchers an opportunity to study how built environments influenced public health over millennia. By analyzing these materials using various research methods, scientists aim to draw parallels with modern urban health challenges, suggesting that ancient waste practices could inform contemporary sustainability and sanitation strategies.
Pigment Use at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
A rich palette of pigments, used for objects, architectural paintings, and burial treatments, was identified at the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük. This discovery, based on 25 years of research led by Ian Hodder (1993–2017), reveals the diverse applications and cultural significance of pigments spanning over a thousand years of the settlement's existence.
The Clay World of Çatalhöyük
A revised interpretation of the Neolithic landscape at Çatalhöyük resolves a long-standing paradox: while clay artifacts suggest its importance to early agriculture, the local geology appears hostile due to poor drainage. By treating heavier clay artifacts as direct samples of the surrounding environment, researchers demonstrate that clay's role was far more complex than previously understood. This approach reconciles material culture and landscape views, revealing clay's multifaceted contributions to subsistence practices without conflicting with observed patterns.
The Seasonality of Wetland and Riparian Taskscapes at Çatalhöyük
Neolithic inhabitants of Çatalhöyük adapted their use of local wetland and riparian environments to seasonal resource availability, with task patterns shifting throughout the year. This study reveals how labor organization evolved over time, becoming more varied as livelihoods diversified, impacting the regularity and variety of landscape interactions. Researchers analyzed paleoenvironmental and archaeological data to reconstruct seasonal taskscapes, demonstrating that later residents reorganized their engagement with the surrounding environment in response to changing community dynamics.
Towards the End of the Çatalhöyük East Settlement
A shift towards pastoralism characterized by caprine herding and resource management marked the final phase of Neolithic occupation at Çatalhöyük. This study, integrating 25 years of faunal research, reveals significant changes in subsistence practices, food processing, and social dynamics, alongside increased independence in provisioning and consumption. The findings also highlight complex links between animal husbandry, waste utilization, disease risks, and parasite transmission, offering new insights into the health and social practices of this ancient community. Previous post-Neolithic studies have primarily focused on contextual zooarchaeology to understand bone assemblage deposition.
Twenty-Five Years of Research at Çatalhöyük
Over the past 25 years, research at Çatalhöyük has revealed dynamic shifts in interpretations of this Anatolian Neolithic site, highlighting its significance as a complex social and cultural hub. The study integrates archaeological findings with innovative methodologies to reconstruct daily life, subsistence practices, and symbolic expressions during the Neolithic period. Key discoveries include evidence of advanced social organization, craft specialization, and ritualistic behaviors, challenging earlier assumptions about early agricultural societies. The research approach combines stratigraphic excavation with interdisciplinary analyses, such as artifact studies, isotopic analysis, and spatial modeling, to provide a nuanced understanding of Çatalhöyük's cultural evolution.
Did We Just Travel to the Past? Building and Evaluating With Cultural Presence Different Modes of VR-Mediated Experiences in Virtual Archaeology
A groundbreaking study reveals that virtual reality (VR) can effectively recreate the experience of traveling to the past, particularly when incorporating content meaningfulness, responsive characters, enhanced interaction, and multisensory realism. Researchers built six distinct VR reconstructions of Çatalhöyük, a Neolithic site in Turkey, and evaluated them using a novel framework based on Cultural Presence. The findings demonstrate that these elements significantly contribute to achieving successful VR-mediated experiences, offering new insights into how virtual archaeology can bridge the gap between past and present.
Socio-Material Archaeological Networks at Çatalhöyük a Community Detection Approach
A novel application of socio-material network analysis reveals that Çatalhöyük, a large Late Neolithic Near Eastern settlement, lacked hierarchical social stratification despite its size. This challenges traditional views of such megasites as proto-urban or failed urban experiments. The study, leveraging diverse data sets, demonstrates how individual houses were embedded within complex social networks, providing insights into early community formation and integration in Holocene agricultural societies.
Democratising world heritage: The policies and practices of community involvement in Turkey
Turkey's efforts to integrate community involvement in UNESCO World Heritage management reflect a complex interplay between global standards and local politics. The study reveals that while these policies aim to democratize heritage governance, they often reinforce existing power hierarchies rather than challenge them. Using Çatalhöyük as a case study, the research applies Sally Merry’s concept of 'vernacularization' to analyze how Turkish officials adapt UNESCO's best practices, leading to contested ethical norms and governance structures. An ethnographic approach was employed to examine the social consequences of these policies, highlighting both unintended outcomes and the tension between transnational heritage ideals and state authority.
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.
Substances: ‘Following the material’ through two prehistoric cases
A novel approach to studying prehistoric figurines and human effigies reveals their role as material bodies that interact with fleshly ones, linking them to broader aspects of material culture, environment, and political economy. The study advocates for a multi-dimensional research strategy called 'following the material,' which combines material, social, and phenomenological analysis. This method was demonstrated through two case studies: figurines from Çatalhöyük in Turkey and human effigies from the Moche region in Peru. By examining the substances used to create these artifacts and their contexts of production, circulation, and deposition, the research highlights the tight connections between objects in human form, material culture, landscape, and political economy.
Mice, scats and burials: Unusual concentrations of microfauna found in human burials at the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, Central Anatolia
Archaeological research at the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük reveals that human burials contained unusually high concentrations of microfauna, including small mammal bones and scats from carnivores. Taphonomic analysis confirmed these elements passed through the digestive tracts of small predators, suggesting deliberate placement by ancient inhabitants as part of ritualistic practices. One burial (F. 513) exhibited an exceptional concentration of microfauna over the torso, further supporting this interpretation. The study proposes that small carnivores were intentionally encouraged to inhabit Çatalhöyük to control house mouse populations, indicating a sophisticated relationship between humans and wildlife in Neolithic societies.
“Official” and “practical” kin: Inferring social and community structure from dental phenotype at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey
At the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, Turkey (7400–5600 cal BC), social structure was not primarily based on biological kinship despite interments occurring within individual houses. A study analyzing dental phenotypes of 266 individuals found minimal correlation between biological affinity and house membership, challenging the notion that Çatalhöyük was a kin-based society. Instead, the house itself served as the central social unit, suggesting a more fluid definition of 'kin' that transcended biological lines. This research used multivariate and univariate statistical analyses on metric and nonmetric dental traits to test hypotheses about family units and neighborhood organization, providing insights into the transition to settled life and social dynamics in early farming communities.
You are here:
World Heritage Explorer > World Heritage Research > World Heritage Sites > Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük