1. Catal Huyuk …Mysteries of the Past
Mrs. Saitta Grade 8 Social Studies
Catal Huyuk …Mysteries of the Past

2. Objectives: SWBAT
Explain where Catal Huyuk is located.
Describe three mysteries that surround Catal Huyuk.
Hypothesize why the people of Catal Huyuk lived the way they did.
Analyze - why is Catal Huyuk a Neolithic village and not a civilization?

3. Location
Catal Huyuk – located country of Turkey in the continent of Asia.
one of the oldest Neolithic communities.
existed somewhere between B.C. and the latest to about 5650 B.C.

4. You be the Archaeologist!
What do archaeologists do?
Photograph
Dig
Think
Reason
Hypothesize – what happened here? (based on evidence)
While viewing, assume the role of an archaeologist

5. Catal Huyuk Catal means “fork” and Huyuk means “mound”
Uncovered in British archaeologist James Mellaart
What is unusual about these homes?
7,000—10,000 residents.
Honey-comb village with no ground level
doors or windows!

6. Life in Catal Huyuk Homes were build with no doors or windows.
People moved around from place to place from the roof tops.
The used a ladder to descend into their homes.
What would be a plausible explanation for entering homes this way?

7. Excavation site in Turkey
Solve the Mysteries????
While excavating: archaeologists have found:
Bones, under what appear to be the beds, in the homes of the residents of Catal Huyuk. .
Excavation site in Turkey

8. Figurine found at Catal Huyuk.
Earth Mother?
Figurine found at Catal Huyuk.
After carefully examining the artifact….
What do you see?
What beliefs might the people have had?
What do you think this figure meant or represented to the people of Catal Huyuk?

9. Balls, Balls and more balls
Clay Balls of many sizes, found in large quantities all over the excavation sites.
Think like an archaeologist, what might they be used for?
BaLLS!

10. Murals on the walls
Map of ancient Catal Huyuk…..What do you see in this mural? What are some of the reasons people paint murals? Is this a primary source? If so, why?

11. Does this artist’s facsimile of Catal Huyuk help you to determine what was drawn in the mural?

12. Some Facts…. farmed and hunted
wild bulls, deer, horses, pigs and gathered wild plants, grains, mushrooms, berries.
extensive trade
items from Syria and the Mediterranean Obsidian –from volcano - wealth

13. Notice the mural!

14.
Catal Huyuk

15. -++ Questions to think about: Answer in notebook Questions to answer
Where was Catal Huyuk located?
What does name Catal Huyuk mean?
When did it exist? (dates)
How many people lived there at any one time?
Name three mysteries about life in Catal Huyuk and give your theory as to why each might have occurred.