FIGURINES AND GRAVE GOODS
by Naomi Hamilton
During the 1997 season 52 figurines were found, a few of which had been excavated in 1996 but retrieved from heavy residue this year. The majority were fragmentary, and most were parts of humanoid or animal figures. However, several complete or almost complete figures were found, as well as a number of fragments of considerable interest. Almost all the pieces found this year were made of clay, the majority of them lightly baked, a few were of plaster. Figurines were found in all areas of the site - Bach, North, Mellaart and Summit -in contexts which would equate with Mellaart's levels IV/V - VIII. This gives us a reasonable time span over which to view changes and variation.
As previously, most figurines are found outside the living space of houses. A number come from buildings, but this was generally from below the floors or within the fabric of walls and fittings. Most were found in outside areas containing a wide range of materials which could be called rubbish. This is the case with human, humanoid and animal figurines, and makes the interpretation of these artefacts challenging.
The most spectacular figurine was perhaps the complete one from the Summit trench, found just at the end of this season's work on that area (fig 17). Numbered 2675.X1, it depicts a seated figure and was hailed as a typical Çatalhöyük 'Mother Goddess'. In fact it is unusual in a number of ways. It is extremely small, only 20mm high, which makes it one of the smallest ever found at the site. It is seated with stub legs or knees in front, rather than the crossed legs or legs to one side under the body which are common on the larger figures; the reduced arms which stick straight out from the body while turning downwards, ending in a point, are very unusual, rather reminiscent of much later figures from Bronze Age sites in Anatolia. The well-known Çatalhöyük figures of this general type normally have complete arms depicted, with hands resting on the knees or upper body, and great attention paid to the hands. Further, although this figure has a bulging stomach, it has no breasts. Some of these unusual features could be attributed to the small size of the figure, but perhaps that itself requires explanation. Finally, this figure has a hole in the top of the body for the attachment of a head, which is missing. This is seen in a number of figurines found both by Mellaart and during the current work, but is relatively rare. The figurine is complete and undamaged. It is rather crudely made, which could be a product of its size. It was found in an external area interpreted as a midden, apparently attached to Building 10, which is probably Mellaart level IV or IV/V. The 'fat lady' figurines from Mellaart's excavations date between levels VI (only one example) and III (several examples), so as far as date goes, this one agrees very well with what was known previously.
Figure 21: Clay Figurine 2193 from North Area
In 1997 excavation of burials in Building 1, a large number of individuals was found, and several were accompanied by grave goods. Burials were also found in Space 112 in Mellaart area, but these were without grave goods. A single bead, possibly of turquoise, was found near the head of one skeleton, but there is no clear evidence that it was placed intentionally in the grave. Artefactual grave goods were found in six or more burials this year; in addition, a number of items were found in heavy residue from last season which add to what is known from burials excavated last year; some items cannot be attributed definitely to any burial or skeleton, so that the picture is rather confused in places.