ÇATALHÖYÜK 2000 ARCHIVE REPORT

Burials / Gömüler

Naomi Hamilton

Abstract

Neolithic burials were excavated in Building 3, the BACH area. The complete skeleton of an adult male was found beneath the north-east platform of Space 86, and two complete skeletons of children were found beneath the north-west corner of the floor. In addition, parts of several individuals were found beneath the north-west platform.

Three classical period graves were excavated on the West mound, believed to belong to the late Roman/early Byzantine period. All three were supine extended inhumations, apparently Christian from their orientation.

Özeti

Neolitik gömüler BACH alanındaki Bina 3’ün içinde ele geçmiştir. Alan 86’nın kuzeydoğu sekisinin altında olgun bir erkeğe ait bütün bir iskelet ve tabanın kuzeybatı köşesinde bütün iki çocuğa ait iskeletler bulunmuştur. Ayrıca, kuzeybatı sekisinin altına çeşitli bireylere ait parçalar ele geçmiştir.

Batı höyükte geç Roma / erken Bizans dönemine ait mezarlar tespit edilmiştir. Kazılan üç mezarda ele geçen üç bireyin tamamı sırt üstü yatırılmıştır. Yatırılış yönlerinden Hristiyan oldukları anlaşılmaktadır.

Neolithic burials were excavated in Building 3, the BACH area. The complete skeleton of an adult male was found beneath the north-east platform of Space 86, and two complete skeletons of children were found beneath the north-west corner of the floor. In addition, parts of several individuals were found beneath the north-west platform (which prior to the construction of a screen-wall separating Space 158 from Space 86 would have been the north-central platform).

Human remains were also found on the West mound. Three graves overlying the Chalcolithic architecture were excavated, believed to belong to the late Roman/early Byzantine period. All three were supine extended inhumations, apparently Christian from their orientation. One was an earth grave with three half-tiles partially covering the skeleton of a large adult male with a withered arm. The other two were built stone tombs, with a stone pavement beneath the wooden coffin. One contained the skeleton of a small adult female accompanied by a bone spindle and copper-alloy signet ring (Figure 39). The skeleton was very badly preserved. The other stone tomb contained the skeleton of an adult male, slightly disturbed by a stone-robbing pit, in the fill of which were found a copper-alloy ear-ring and ?tweezers, both of which may well derive from the grave. Specialist study of the human remains will take place next season. The tomb architecture is itself interesting. Further details can be found in the West mound archive report.

In addition to these burials, human bone was found in many deposits in the ploughsoil, and a group of disturbed human remains were found in an irregular cut near grave F700.

No grave-goods were found in the Neolithic burials excavated this year, so there are no additions to make to the information from previous years.

Figures

Figure 39: 3468.X2 Copper Alloy Signet Ring from West Mound late Roman/early Byzantine burial