The Matter of Catalhoeyuk: Reports from the 2009-2017 Seasons

The Çatalhöyük Research Project Series interprets the material obtained during excavation of the 9,000-year-old tell site in central Turkey from 2009 to 2017, focusing on the material artefacts recovered. The analysis of these items reveals issues of procurement and exchange, house and community, and the organisation of production, revealing how change was generated across 1,100 years of occupation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 28 December 2021
Publisher: British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara

The Çatalhöyük Research Project Series, in its latest volume, delves into the comprehensive interpretation of the material unearthed during the excavation of the site from 2009 to 2017, under the guidance of Professor Ian Hodder. Çatalhöyük, a remarkable 9,000-year-old tell site located in central Turkey, holds immense international significance due to its colossal size at an early age, its dense population, and its extended occupation. Its well-preserved buildings and remarkable art within the Neolithic East Mound provide a unique window into the early stages of village life, offering valuable insights into the formation of settled communities and the early intensification of agriculture. Spanning 16 chapters authored by project specialists, this volume specifically focuses on the diverse range of material artifacts recovered from the site, encompassing a wide array of clay objects (such as ceramics, clay balls, tokens, figurines), as well as those crafted from stone, shell, and textile materials. Through the comprehensive analysis of these items within a framework of intersecting and transformative "flows" of matter that are intricately intertwined with human aims and strategies, the volume sheds light on various aspects of procurement and exchange, housing and community (including evolving cooking practices and early cattle management), and the organization of production. Collectively, these artifacts reveal the profound ways in which change unfolded over a span of 1,100 years of occupation, driven by the inherent "productive potential of things."

Dimension: 305 x 203 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912090501