not only for revealing how people lived in its
warren of neat, tidy, plastered houses, but also
for its longevity, as the eastern mound was in-
habited for as many as 1,500 years. Its later peri-
od coincided with the Copper Age, which began
around 5500 B.C. In this later phase, the eastern
mound was abandoned, and the western mound
developed. Pottery decorated with colored paint,
a feature associated with the Copper Age, has
been found on this later, western mound.
Spirit of the Hearth
Much of the economic, social, and ritual life of
Çatalhöyük was organized around the home. The
houses, all very similar in size, sheltered families
of five to 10 people. A typical home had no win-
dows, one main room, and two ancillary rooms
for storage or domestic work. The walls were
made of adobe and covered with plaster. They
measured some 20 inches thick and stood more
than eight feet tall.
The use of clay and plaster as building mate-
rials made archaeologists’ work easier. Floors,
walls, and art had to be renewed continually.
In some buildings more than 450 layers of fine
plastering have been documented on just four
inches of wall. Each of these layers provides in-
formation about the period when the building
was constructed and on occasion gives subtle
details about the occupants’daily lives, such as
the marks left by baskets or rugs on floors.
Built back-to-back, people entered their
homes through an opening in the roof. They
climbed down a ladder to the main room. The
oven and hearth were posi-
tioned below the entrance,
which also served as a
vent for smoke. Inhabitants
cooked food in this part of the
main room. The floors were black-
ened with ash and soot. Obsidian,
highly prized for its smooth finish,
was fashioned in this room and used
to create numerous objects, including
mirrors. Archaeologists also foundJASON QUINLAN/
ÇATALHÖYÜK RESEARCH PROJECTAPPLICATORS USED FOR COSMETICS,
FOUND IN ÇATALHÖYÜKANCIENT
REFLECTIONS
Crafted from
polished obsidian,
the mirror (above)
is one of two found
in 2012 in a tomb in
Çatalhöyük, where
they were deposited
as grave goods.N. BENN/GETTY IMAGES