Çatalhöyük, Antatolia region, Turkey. 9000 years old neolithic community

 April 23, 2026

One of the world's oldest proto-cities, ~9000 years old. Excellent new museum opened 2025.  We were surprised at the quality and investment in the museum associated with the dig site. Our research online showed so much less than what is here--no boardwalks, huge museum, side buildings demonstrating home life, cafe and nice gardens

 

 

 

This was the most interesting part of this dig--the garbage pit!  I was drawn to it because is was so different from the rest of the colors/texture/design of  Çatalhöyük.  I'd never have guessed. Waste was a challenge for this community of about 2000 I read. There were no streets, homes were adjacent to each other and entered from above. 

garbage  

 

There were replica buildings for us to explore. 

We cheated and were allowed to enter via ground level openings
 

people entered from above and also lived on their rooftop. 

 

 People were buried in the floors. John read that this site was used for so many years (2,000) that sometimes bodies were 60 deep! 

 

 

snake handled knife artifact in museum 

 

 

obsidian used as a mirror

No trip is complete without me taking photos of flora

quince

 

 

cornflower

 

Can you guess who lives in here?  

 

 

Jackal 

 

Asked at the desk

 

 

 We rely on Google translate