Türkiye’s archaeological landscape, driven by ongoing excavations, restorations, and research efforts, continues to deepen our understanding of human history. A recent groundbreaking genomic research has revealed that the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük in central Türkiye organised its society around female lineages, providing a striking perspective on women’s central role in early agricultural societies. The scientific investigation also traced shifting kinship structures over time and shed light on how social norms evolved across centuries. Currently, Çatalhöyük is recognised as the first known city in the world; it was the first location where surrounding villages came together to form a central hub, marking the beginning of the urban civilisation that dominates the modern world.
Listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and located in today’s Konya province, Çatalhöyük is also known for its unique subfloor burials, a practice of interring individuals beneath their homes. A recently published study in Science magazine, completed over 12 years with the collaboration of 47 geneticists, archaeologists, and biological anthropologists from Türkiye and 10 other countries, has yielded striking findings about kinship and gender dynamics at the site through the analysis of these burials. As part of their research, scholars analysed skeletal remains from 395 individuals who lived between 8000 and 5800 BCE and successfully sequenced DNA from 131 individuals buried across 35 houses.
The genetic comparisons have shown that maternal lines played a more prominent role than paternal ones in connecting Çatalhöyük household members. Women were the anchors of each household, while men were likely to move away. Female subadult burials also included more grave goods than those of males. This proved that male-dominated systems, familiar in European Neolithic sites with origins in Anatolia, were not an inherent characteristic of early agricultural societies.
The study also found that kinship patterns at Çatalhöyük have shifted over time. People buried in the same building often had similar genetic compositions during the settlement’s earlier periods, suggesting that the house was used by biological family members. However, this genetic relatedness became rare in later periods, suggesting that blood ties gradually lost their centrality in social organisation. Researchers propose that this transformation may be attributed to cultural factors, such as the widespread adoption of fostering and adoption-like mechanisms.
Çatalhöyük: The Neolithic Ancestor of Urban Settlements
Çatalhöyük offers a glimpse into a society that existed over 9,000 years ago. Visitors can travel back in time to the beginnings of human history through various remnants that clearly signal the sophistication of this ancient society. The site is exceptional for its substantial size, the longevity of the settlement, the back-to-back houses built in clusters and with roof access, as well as the wall paintings and reliefs. These findings collectively indicate a nuanced understanding of urban planning, sustainable living, social organisation, and cultural practices.
Among the site’s most iconic finds are numerous female figurines, widely discussed as potential representations of a Mother Goddess cult and a matriarchal society. Even though a rich collection of Çatalhöyük finds, including female figurines, can be found at the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara, the excavation site itself is very enthralling because of the act of walking through spaces where such early signs of human life once thrived.
Moreover, as part of its ongoing commitment to preserving cultural heritage, Türkiye inaugurated a state-of-the-art information and visitor centre in Çatalhöyük in 2023. This centre, located within the archaeological site, also offers a comprehensive understanding of Çatalhöyük, complete with interactive displays and captivating multimedia installations.
However, Çatalhöyük is just one of many ancient sites where Türkiye’s archaeological momentum continues. Under the ‘Legacy for the Future’ project, Türkiye sustains excavation and restoration work in many ancient sites by extending excavations nationwide and throughout all seasons. The country dubbed 2024 the “Golden Age of Archaeology”, raising the number of archaeological works to 765. This number is expected to climb to 800 by 2026.