Çatalhöyük

Catalhoyuk was a major neolithic city located on present south-central Turkey. It was first brought to worldwide attention by James Mellaart's excavations between 1961 and 1965, which have revealed that Anatolia was the centre of an advanced culture in neolithic ages. Lying idle until 1993, the site is currently being examined under the leadership of Ian Hodder from the University of Cambridge. Although the earliest building period at Catalhoyuk is dated to about 6000 BC, some scholars claim that the earliest settlements had been established as early as 9000 years ago, thus making the city one of the earliest cities in the world, if not the earliest. The city possibly involved about 10,000 people and the inhabitants were living in mud-brick houses entered from the roof by a ladder. Remains of several people have been found to be buried in pits beneath the floors. Although no temples could have been found in the city, these possible graves and vivid murals found in several buildings suggest that the people of Catalhoyuk had some sort of religion. They appear to have been living equal lives with no apparent social classes for no houses with distinct features (belonging to a king, priest etc.) have been found, so far.