R06 - New Paradigms in the Study of the Neolithic of Central Anatolia 20 Years After the First Synthesis

Session Organisers: Ali Umut Türkcan, Arkadiusz MARCINIAK

Category: Anatolia / Southeastern Europe

Session Abstract: Archaeological study of the Neolithic of Central Anatolia started seriously in the 1950s with pioneers from the British Institute of Archaeology. After 60 years of intensive research, especially at Çatalhöyük, Aşıklı and Can Hasan, it became clear that the region had a far-reaching impact on both Near Eastern and Anatolian archaeology. The early years of the Mellaart era yielded spectacular discoveries that have yet to be surpassed, as the iconic Fat Lady figurines, paintings, and reliefs on the walls of elaborate shrines showed a different and more developed phase of the Neolithic universe and triggered the development of different theories pertaining to egalitarian and urban society. The scope of Çatalhöyük Research Project resulted in a better understanding of the settlement's spatial extent and changes over time, as interpreted in social and regional terms. On the other hand, the first real attempt at discussing the Central Anatolian Neolithic started only with the CANeW (Central Anatolian e-Workshop) project. The 2001 meeting allowed the results of previous research to be summarized and Central Anatolia to be placed in the context of Neolithic lifeways on a pan-regional scale. As it has now been more than 20 years since this meeting was held, there is a need for a new synthesis that takes into consideration both the work carried out during this period and changes in the domain of archaeological praxis. How has it progressed with intensive excavations of Boncuklu, Çatalhöyük, and Cappadocian sites, primarily Aşıklı Höyük, taking into account a variety of new discoveries, the use of innovative methods and techniques, and an open access policy that makes the data available to the public? How far has the Çatalhöyük and Boncuklu Research Projects influenced our understanding of the Anatolian Neolithic in the "grand picture" of cultural history between East and West? The session is also aimed at presenting current work at Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic sites, as evidenced by new excavations (Canhasan, Gökhöyük) and many intensive surveys over the last 10 years.

Room: I

07/11/2024

Start Time - End Time	Authors	Title
10:00 - 10:15	Başak Boz, Handan Üstündağ, F. Arzu Demirel, Donald Kale	Reassessing the Neolithic Çatalhöyük Inhabitants’ Perception of Life and Death
10:15 - 10:30	Kent M. Johnson	Re-evaluation of evidence for ""practical"" kinship at Çatalhöyük
10:30 - 10:45	Katarzyna Harabasz	Late Neolithic Funerary Structures at Çatalhöyük
10:45 - 11:00	Arkadiusz Marciniak	The Late Neolithic non-residential quarter in the East Area at Çatalhöyük
11:00 - 11:15	Serap Özdöl-Kutlu	Discussion of Çatalhöyük and Central Anatolia Neolithic Pottery Sequences in the Light of New Research

Lunch Break

Start Time - End Time	Authors	Title
13:00 - 13:15	Ali Umut Türkcan	“A Neolithic Town: Çatalhöyük” and its Urban Quandary: A new discussion of old debate within recent evidence.
13:15 - 13:30	Nurcan Yalman	The Intertwinement of Mundane and Symbolic Behavior in the Neolithic: The Example of Cooking Pots at Çatalhöyük
13:30 - 13:45	Patrycja Filipowicz	Late Neolithic imagery of Çatalhöyük East Area
13:45 - 14:00	Ramazan Gündüz	South of the Konya Plain (Current studies Current data)
14:00 - 14:15	Yasin Gökhan Çakan, Erhan Bıçakçı	A View from the Highlands to the ‘Central Anatolian Neolithic’: New Insights from Tepecik-Çiftlik (Niğde, Türkiye)

Coffee Break

Start Time - End Time	Authors	Title
14:45 - 15:00	Vinet Alice, Denis Guilbeau	Manufacture and Function of Engraved Obsidian Arrowheads from Tepecik Çiftlik (Cappadocia, 7th Millennium BCE)
15:00 - 15:15	Semra Balcı, Çiler Altınbilek Algül, Sidar Gündüzalp	Contextualising Sırçalıtepe 8th Millennium BCE site near obsidian sources – new highlights from the Neolithic of Cappadocia, Central Anatolia
15:15 - 15:30	Işıl Demirtaş, Pınar Çaylı	The Neolithic at the Çakılbaşı (Aksaray) Site
15:30 - 15:45	Fevzi Volkan Güngördü	Prehistoric Investigations in Nevşehir, Cappadocia
15:45 - 16:00	Ozan Özbudak, Bogdana Milic, Sidar Gündüzalp	Northernmost Frontier of the Central Anatolian Neolithic – New Evidence from the Çorum Prehistoric Surveys

Coffee Break

Start Time - End Time	Authors	Title
16:30 - 16:50	Salih Kavak	Archaeobotanical Analysis of Neolithic Çatalhöyük North Terrace Area Excavations
16:50 - 17:10	Salih Kavak, Ali Umut Türkcan Salih Kavak	Investigation of Agriculture in Inner West Anatolia in the 6th millennium: Archaeobotanical Analysis of Kanlıtaş Höyük
17:10 - 17:30	Emma Jenkins, Michelle Feider, Paul Clarkson, Katerina Papayiannis, Sabrina Renaud, Greger Larson, Kristina Tabbada, Lisa Yeomans, Thomas Cucchi, Emilie Hardouin, Douglas Baird	Telling Small Tales: Revealing the Hidden Stories of Pınarbaşı, Boncuklu Höyük and Çatalhöyük, Anatolia through their microfaunal assemblages
17:30 - 17:50	Ali Güzel, Cansu Karamurat, Çiğdem Atakuman, Çağla Akgül	Archaeometric Investigation of Neolithic Çatalhöyük Plaster Samples