Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük
The site on the Southern Anatolian Plateau covers an area of 37 hectares and consists of two hills. The higher, eastern mound contains 18 layers of Neolithic remains dating between 7400 and 6200 BC, including murals, reliefs, sculptures and other symbolic and artistic features. Together, they bear witness to the evolution of civilization. As humans adapted to settled life, social organization and cultural practices changed. The western mound shows the evolution of cultural practices during the Chalcolithic period, between 6200 and 5200 BC. Çatalhöyük provides important evidence of the transition from a settled village to an urban agglomeration, which remained in the same location for more than 2,000 years. It is characterized by a unique street-less settlement, where houses are clustered back-to-back with rooftops leading to the buildings.