Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük World Heritage Site

Official name

Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük | UNESCO

Country

Turkey | Map

Continent

Asia

Location

37.6666° Lat, 32.8280° Lon | Map

Code

1405

Time Zone

Europe/Istanbul (+03, +0300)

Current Time

Category

Cultural

Description

Inscribed 2012. Two hills form the 37 ha site on the Southern Anatolian Plateau. The taller eastern mound contains eighteen levels of Neolithic occupation between 7400 bc and 6200 bc, including wall paintings, reliefs, sculptures and other symbolic and artistic features. Together they testify to the evolution of social organization and cultural practices as humans adapted to a sedentary life. The western mound shows the evolution of cultural practices in the Chalcolithic period, from 6200 bc to 5200 bc. Çatalhöyük provides important evidence of the transition from settled villages to urban agglomeration, which was maintained in the same location for over 2,000 years. It features a unique streetless settlement of houses clustered back to back with roof access into the buildings.