Çatalhöyük 2005 Archive Report

ÇATALHÖYÜK 2005 ARCHIVE REPORT

4040 Area Excavations

Neolithic Sequence / Neolitik Sıralama

Abstract

As was established last season the different zones of buildings in the 4040 Area, which had first been interpreted as contemporary neighbourhoods delineated by streets (2003 Archive Report), were, upon excavation, identified as different occupation phases (2004 Archive Report). Although overall there was a paucity of artefacts by which to date the buildings excavated, the occupation phases (termed as Levels) presented last year fitted with this seasons work too. As such the latest Neolithic activity was identified in the central cluster of buildings, which is equated to Levels IV –II, bounded by midden areas Space 271 to the north and Space 275 to the south. No work was conducted on the Neolithic sequence in the southern most sector of this year’s 10x40 strip, but judging from last seasons results the activity here is likely to represent Levels VI – V, whilst the latest is represented in the northern most sector of buildings, dated to Level VII – VI .

Özet

Geçen sezon caddeler tarafından ayrılan mahalleler olarak yorumlanan (2003 Arşiv Raporu )4040 alanındaki binaların farklı bölgeleri, kazı sonucunda farklı yerleşim evreleri olarak belirlenmişlerdir (2004 Arşiv Raporu). Şu anda kazılan binalarda, bir buluntu durgunluğu olmasına rağmen, geçen sene sunulan yerleşim evreleri (Tabaka) bu sezondaki çalışmalarla uyuşmaktadır. Tabaka IV-II ya yerleştirilen merkezi bir bina kümesi içinde belirlenen Geç Neolitik aktivite kuzeye doğru Alan 271 ve güneye doğru Alan 275’ deki çöplük alanlarıyla bağlanmıştır. Bu senenin 10x40’lık şeridinin güneyindeki birçok kesimdeki Neolitik sıralamada bir çalışma yapılmadı. Ancak geçen sezondan anlaşıldığı kadarıyla bu alandaki aktivite Tabaka VI-V yı verirken, kuzeydeki birçok kesimdeki geç aktivite Tabaka VII-VI’ ya tarihlenmektedir.

Buildings in the central cluster

Spaces 267 and 268

Lisa Yeomans

Abstract

Space 267, a midden area to the west of the central cluster of buildings was defined by wall F.2029, (10379) and a layer of eroded mudbrick (10378) and extended to the west beyond this years excavations. A lack of associated floors within Space 267 suggests that these wall remains are the footings to a now eroded building. The wall footings and erosion of Space 267 overlay two infants positioned at the interface of a pit fill (10380). Space 267 replaced an earlier and larger midden area Space 268, which also extended to the west of the limit of excavation. In a number of places the midden had been truncated by Neolithic pits which where themselves backfilled with layered midden material or more homogeneous dumps of waste. The midden deposits were typically layered and rich in finds and environmental data. Work was conducted in this area as far as to release the buildings to the north, east and west. Future excavation will take place when more of the area can be defined to the west.

Özet

Merkezi bina kümesinin batısına yönelen bir çöplük alanı olan Alan 267, duvar F.2029, (10379) tarafından belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca aşınmış bir kerpiç tabakası (10378) bu sezon batıya doğru uzatılmıştır.Alan 267’deki ilişkili olmayan zeminler bu duvar kalıntılarının şu anda aşınmış olan binaların temelleri olduğunu önerir. Duvar tabanları ve Alan 267’deki erozyon, bir çukur dolgusunun(10380) buluştuğu yerde uzanan iki çocuk iskeletini birbiri üzerine yerleştirmiştir. Alan 267, daha erken ve geniş bir çöplük alanı olan ve kazı sınırının batısına doğru uzatılan Alan 268 ile değiştirilmiştir. Bazı yerlerde çöplük alanı, tabakalanmış çöplük malzemesi ve daha karışık artıklarla doldurulmuş olan Neolitik çukurlar tarafından kesilmiştir. Çöplük depositleri tipik bir biçimde tabakalanmıştır ve buluntu ile çevresel veri açısından zengindir. Bu alanda yapılan çalışma, binaları kuzey, doğu ve batıya doğru ortaya çıkarmak içindir. İlerki kazılar alan batıya doğru daha fazla ilerlediği zaman devam edecektir.

Space 267

The latest Neolithic deposits in this area were the remains of wall foundation F.2029 (10379) and a layer of eroded mudbrick (10378). These were located to the west of the 10x40S forming parts of three sides to Space 267 and extending beyond the western limit of excavation for 2005 (Figure 13.). The northern wall was partly truncated by a pit (10376) which contained a burnt, bone rich deposit and although a Neolithic date to this feature seems probable, it cannot be proved stratigraphically. A lack of associated floors within Space 267 suggests that these wall remains are the footings to a now eroded building. The other possibility is that it was an external retaining wall but since they form three sides of a space with a possible fourth side identified in 2003 it seems unlikely. Identifying other spaces that may have formed part of the same building is difficult, the 2003 exposure of the area showed no walls immediately to the west and it seems more likely that Space 267 formed a narrow side room to an eroded building above Building 57. This is interesting because it suggests that the building phase above Buildings 55, 57 and 58 (which appear to be relatively contemporary), witnessed a significantly different alignment with buildings not being constructed directly above the previous and some areas converting to use as midden (see below).

The wall footings and erosion of Space 267 overlay two infants positioned at the interface of a pit fill (10380) located at the north-western corner of Building 57 (see below). No burial cut was visible and it cannot be certain whether the bodies were laid into a cut in the top of pit F.2034 or if they were dumped or left just before the erosion/destruction of Space 267. Although it cannot be proved stratigraphically, the evidence is best explained by the known practice of burying infantile bodies under the floors of ‘dirty’ side rooms. The location of the skeletons (10384) and (10388) places them at the northern edge of Space 267 in the location where such burials are frequently found suggesting that they were interments made during the use of Space 267.

Space 268

Space 268 is a large external midden area extending to the west of the limit of excavation for 2005. Much of the midden is to the west of the foundation cut for Building 41 but it also extends to the east and to the north of an internal wall foundation. The midden was therefore excavated as three equivalent units, visible on sections 05/311 and 05/323 with each comprised of relatively finely layered dumps excavated as composite units (10348), (10369), (10396). In a number of places the midden had been truncated by Neolithic pits which where themselves backfilled with layered midden material or more homogeneous dumps of waste. A cut against the northern wall of Space 270 was a large pit (10381), its fill was prioritised for specialist analysis which indicated that it contained discarded obsidian which was not dissimilar from the underlying midden but botanical remains were from limited activities and a high density of faunal remains with good preservation including a notable quantity of carnivore remains. It is difficult to provide an explanation for why the pit was dug; perhaps it allowed the retrieval of something outside Building 57. After it had served its purpose it was backfilled with rubbish, perhaps partially from the midden and partially from waste that had since been generated. The infilling process was fast as in section the fill was not made up from the fine tip layers visible in the underlying midden.

A smaller pit (10325) was cut into the midden to the north, the only thing to differentiate this cut was that it contained redeposited midden material and was cut into layered midden. It is therefore possible that it merely represents a final, homogeneous infilling of pit (10387) (see below) rather than a distinct re-cut. In either case the fill was midden type deposit from which a small figurine (10324.x3) was found.

The layered midden in all separate units divided by Building 41’s foundation trench was rich in finds and environmental data. Therefore the midden was completely dry sieved as opposed to the room fills that were usually fairly sterile. Amongst the finds from the midden was a bone fish hook, numerous bone points and worked beads.

The northern part of the midden was partially sitting in a large cut (10387). Where the layered midden fills were within the cut it was partially excavated as unit (10386). The cut extended to the north, truncating the northern part of the western wall of Building 55.

No further work was conducted in this midden area this season. The aim had been to release the outline of Buildings 55 to the north and 57 to the east for further excavation. Whilst post dating the construction of these buildings Space 268 may well have been in use simultaneously.