Essay On Catalhoyuk

There has recently been discoveries regarding the fates of ancient societies. These discoveries reveal that great cultures like the Mayans, ancient Mesopotamians, and the Anasazi of the American Southwest

Çatalhöyük, located in the Konya Plain in central Anatolia, Turkey is one of the earliest densely populated civilizations known to date. It was inhabited from about 7400 BCE towards the end of the Neolithic age through to the Chalcolithic (Copper Age) in 6000 BCE. The site is renowned for a number of reasons. It was an unusually large settlement for its age, extending over 13.5 hectares, housing thousands of people at a time. Nevertheless, its most striking feature is the degree of symbolism imbedded within the society which can be seen in wall art, burials and material

2. Using the evidence left from early human burial grounds and stone tools, anthropologists were able to infer that early human societies were egalitarian, hunter-gatherers, nomadic, easily adaptable, and developed sophisticated technologies.

-Archaeologists reconstructed the environment and studied artifacts from a specific time period to learn about people from that time.

As Indian groups started to settle in the Mississippi floodplain, their cultures and political systems began to intertwine, creating a complex sociopolitical structure (Page, 70). The largest polity to arise out of this area, known as the American Bottom, was Cahokia. At its height, it resembled a city, extending over five square miles, mounds and structures that towered over smaller dwellings, and a population, that some believe to have been the largest, north of Mexico, for its time (Page, 70). Estimates predict several thousand lived at the site of Cahokia, many of them elites, whose particular talents or skills, earned them the privileged title (Pauketat). Beyond its boundaries were smaller groups and

Death by Theory, written by Adrian Praetzellis, is an engaging and informational book written in a novelistic way that engages the reader to think critically about archaeology. Compared to other forms of informational text about archaeology, Death by Theory teaches archaeological theory by telling a story that incorporates the different theories of archaeology in a realistic setting. While standard textbooks about the theory of archaeology can come off a bit dry, Death by Theory skips the standard definitions and applies this in a way that aids the reader in understanding how these theories and terms can be applied in an actual archaeological setting. This text illustrates the adventure of plucky archaeologist Dr. Hannah Green and her nephew Sean Doyle as they seek to explain an unusual archaeological site while dealing with real life archaeological struggles. The protagonists deal with an egotistical colleague of Dr. Green who sought her out as a consult on a particularly strange archaeological case. All the while dealing with cults, the media, and incompatible data.

What is most riveting however, is its age. Using organic material embedded in the façade of its stone pylons, Gobekli Tepe’s lower levels have been carbon to as early as 12,000 years ago, making them the earliest architectural forms ever discovered (German Archaeological Institute). This predates nearby sister site Nevali Cori by about 500 years (Author unknown), and the world’s first city Catalhoyuk by 1,500 years (Symmes 2010:48). The vast, more complex scale, as well as the marked artistry and sophistication above that of its cruder sister sites, makes the very existence of Gobekli Tepe practically an impossibility. Ian Hodder, director of Stanford’s archaeological program states that Gobekli Tepe is “unbelievably big and amazing, at a ridiculously early date; many people think it changes everything [that] all our theories are wrong.” (Symmes 2010:46 ).

The history of archaeology plays an important role in the controversial issues surrounding the science. Archaeology has only recently become a concrete science. Although mankind has always had an interest in the past, the root of archaeology is believed to have started in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. During this time period, artifacts were mainly sought after for collecting. The upper class of the Renaissance period collected artifacts from places such as Rome and Greece to display in their homes as art. As time went on, the lure of historical art and artifacts increased. “Classical archaeology” is the direct result of this curiosity. The “classical archaeologists” were mainly wealthy men that collected artifacts for their homes and studied where they

Representing the vast neolithic civilization that was Catalhoyuk in a single exhibit is a difficult task that requires an incorporation of three specific things: tangible artifacts taken from the site of Catalhoyuk, visual aides explaining the archaeological data regarding the artifacts, and live archaeologists to explain the data to exhibit visitors. My exhibit will include all of these. Laid out in a circular room, with 3 possible entrances--one between each section of the exhibit--my exhibit will include three separate sections that present figurines, food practices, and cultural findings, directly derived from the excavation at the Catalhoyuk site. This main goal of this exhibit is to allow a balance between accurately presenting the

Archaeologists are now able to come together with natives and learn about the past as a team, getting more insight into ceremonials, traditions, sacred ritueals, everyday workings, and lifestyles of native peoples. Respecting the grounds and artifacts of these indigenous people is respecting their heritage- our universal heritage. The unfolding of information allows archaeologists to gain perspective on the people and land before the white

Archaeology is the most common way to learn about the existence of humans. Many cultures have left written records behind providing information about life for them. The records left behind often tells about wealth, religion, hierarchy, important dates, property ownership and etc. Those records are often written from one person prospective and may not be all true. Understanding the life of past cultures that have no written records is what make archeology important. Archeology gives a voice to the voiceless with the hope of discovering their story.

Archeology has been a great discovery that has contributed to our knowledge of American history because if it wasn’t for all the physical remains of the past we wouldn’t be able to have a comprehensive understanding of the culture in previous times, or the story itself of how everything happened and became to be. All the American history we know as we do is because of all the evidences that prove the past existence, life, culture, intentions, and differences between people.

Over the course of human history, humans and our ancestors have made tremendous strides. From Homo habilis making the first stone tools to the Egyptians building The Pyramids of Giza, human history is nothing short of intriguing. If it wouldn’t have been for each stride made by our ancestors we probably wouldn’t live in the world that we live in today. When the Neolithic Era began in 9600 BCE, human civilizations gradually started to spring up all over the world. Humans set up civilizations from Mesopotamia in the Middle East, to China in East Asia, and all the way to Caral-Supe in South America. Although these ancient civilizations were separated by thousands of miles, they all share common patterns and

Ancient civilizations are studied today to help us see more about our universes past and what has brought us to where we are today. Our discoveries have addressed inquiries, as well as purchased us to ask more inquiries. Maybe a standout amongst the most examined but then slightest comprehended human advancement is the Ancient Egyptian Civilization. Numerous studies have been done one that is presently left of their remains. Ancient towns have abandoned us with hieroglyphics, which are things that help us comprehend the way they lived, and even tombs.

Since the emergence of anthropology in the late 1800’s, the customs and methods of this academic discipline have been altered in many ways. It is assumed that in the early years of anthropology, theorists relied on travelers in order to articulate their theories (Dahl 2017). This practice is known as armchair anthropology and involves creating theories without any fieldwork. Some examples of famous armchair anthropologists include Edward Burnett Tylor and James Frazer. The work of both theorists involved no travelling or conducting of fieldwork. Early anthropology focused on primitive cultures and how societies transformed from being barbaric to civilized. In modern days, anthropology is discovering new topics to study every day and the information relies a great amount on fieldwork and lab work conducted by anthropologists to support their findings. As some of the early methods of anthropology continue to be used by anthropology, more are being developed in order to produce more efficient research and theories.