Catalhoyuk, one of the oldest settlements in the UNESCO World Heritage List

Anatolia hosts settlements, which emerged in various periods. Located in Konya, Catalhoyuk is one of them. Catalhoyuk, an archaeological site where artifacts and remains from the Neolithic Age can be seen, is a settlement dating back to 9 thousand years ago. With remains from both the Neolithic Age and the Chalcolithic Age, this site is one of the oldest settlements in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Being considered as one of the largest settlements for its period, Catalhoyuk hosts two different settlements, which are west and east. The settlement in the west has artifacts dating back the Neolithic Age, while the settlement in the east brings artifacts and remains from the Chalcolithic Age to the present day.

Interesting Facts about Catalhoyuk

Catalhoyuk is a settlement located on Konya Plain and dating back to 9 thousand years ago. It is known that Catalhoyuk was continuously inhabited for approximately 2 thousand years. It can be considered one of the most crowded settlements outside Mesopotamia for its period as a developed settlement in this sense. Enabling to reach highly enlightening information for better understanding of Central Anatolia, Catalhoyuk is an important heritage in this respect.

Although there are older settlements, Catalhoyuk is referred to as a much more enlightening settlement than others because of its population and cultural texture, considering the current finds. Being recognized as a developed settlement in this respect, Catalhoyuk appears as an area built based on mound order.

The belief that the people live together with the dead in the houses designed so as to be next to each other was common in Catalhoyuk. This directs researchers to the elements of the cult of ancestors. In the history of Catalhoyuk, the dead were buried under the platforms in the houses. In addition, various murals and figures such as a bull's head are found in the houses in Catalhoyuk. It is possible to see scenes from everyday life on the murals.

Enhanced Life in Catalhoyuk

Catalhoyuk, an ancient settlement where various beliefs originated, stands out with the bull horns found in the houses. Protection of these horns, which were continuously polished, also shows the characteristics of faith. These researches also prove that everyone had specific rituals in accordance with their beliefs.

Catalhoyuk appears as a developed settlement in many aspects such as animal depictions, hunting scenes, stars and human figures. In particular, the leopard figures stand out in this respect. Just like in Gobeklitepe, conduction of an important study on the leopard figure forms an important basis for revealing both the life course of these animals and how much they affected humanity.