Mysterious Ancient Site Of Çatalhöyük: Remains Of Early Structures May Shed More Light On Its Obscure Past

AncientPages.com - Excavations carried out  at the ancient site of Çatalhöyük in Central Anatolia, Turkey, have revealed many interesting finds.

“Last year, we carried out works with a core team including 12 excavators and 15 laboratory experts, aiming to reach the lowest layer and the earliest structures. But because the excavation season is short, we decided to continue excavations this year, too,” said Professor Ian Hodder, the head of the Çatalhöyük excavations.

“...We unearthed two female figurines in the eastern mound. Our examinations showed that they belonged to prestigious and respected women in the society,” he said, noting that previous excavations on the eastern mound in 1999 revealed only garbage dumps and sheep pens rather than houses.

“Works continued to reach the lowest layer in the southern field. I believe that we will be able to unearth the earliest structures in Çatalhöyük during the works we will continue this year.”

See also:

Figurines Unearthed At 9,000-Year-Old Çatalhöyük Site Symbolize Elderly Women, Not Goddess Cybele

Fascinating Neolithic Society Based On Equality - Catalhoyuk, Turkey

Archaeologists unearthed artifacts in a 3,700 year-old mine factory

Works at Çatalhöyük have lasted several decades and now archaeologists  has come the closest yet to solving some of the mysteries surrounding the Neolithic site’s earliest structures, according to the head of the dig.

Çatalhöyük - located in what is today, Konya, a major city in the Central Anatolia - reveals traces of humanity’s transition from settled villages to urban agglomeration over 9,000 years ago.

The finds unearthed in 2016 include a mace head, an obsidian arrow of the highest quality ever, bone and ceramic objects in the northern field, as well as many other objects in the southern part. Also two flint stone daggers and a scallop shell were unearthed.

Detailed works in the northern field have also unearthed places of activity, fireplaces and working places.

Scholars also learned important information about the use of external spaces at the site of Çatalhöyük.

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