Submitted by Da Verminator: Çatalhöyük research project Director Ian Hodder says goddess icons do not, contrary to assumptions, point to a matriarchal society in Çatalhöyük. Findings in Çatalhöyük show that men and women had equal social status. According to Hodder, who also has been following the Göbeklitepe excavations in Þanlýurfa, meticulous archaeological excavation in southeastern Anatolia can change all scientific archaeological assumptions. Clues as to when mankind really began living in urban patterns lie in the Neolithic layers of Çatalhöyük.   Çatalhöyük is within the borders of Cumra district in the central Anatolian city of Konya and is only 10 kilometers away from the district. The discovery of Çatalhöyük by English researcher James Mellart in the beginning of the 1950s had vast repercussions for the scientific world. Mellart was trying to prove that the oldest agricultural towns were located not only in the eastern Mediterranean but also in central Anatolia when he ran into a big surprise. As a result of research conducted, Çatalhöyük was discovered to feature a permanent settlement pattern thousands of years ago. The surprise also raised many questions: Why were all the buildings attached? Why were the people able to enter their houses only through the roof?   As Mellart continued his research until 1965, many layers were discovered. But from then on research stopped until 1993. That was when a protégé of Mellart, Professor Ian Hodder from the University of London resumed excavation work researching the most important layers of the ancient city using different techniques and methods.

  While on a short visit to Turkey Hodder spoke to the Turkish Daily News about the recent findings and excavations in Çatalhöyük. Hodder said the male icons found during the excavations negate the belief that Çatalhöyük was a matriarchal society. According to Hodder, pointing to the symbolic ties between Hittites and Çatalhöyük, possible excavations in southeastern Anatolia would shake scientific archaeological assumptions.

View: Full Article | Source: Turkish Daily News

It's amazing what you find after you make it past the Clovis layer.