CATALHOYUK

Everything began before 1960. Villagers began to remove clay figurines, and pottery with black and brown lines on a red or buff colored background from the mound near the village of Hacilar in Burdur. When these got into the hands of antique collectors interest was aroused and it was discovered that this was the site of a previously undiscovered Anatolian civilization. As a result official excavations began in 19'5fi and the findings proved to be astounding. A remarkable Polished Stone Civilization had lived-in this region of Anatolia during the Neolithic Age five to six thousand years before Christ. It had not been previously realized that the Anatolian Neolithic Age had extended so far back into the past. A few years later a new mound was discovered in Central Anatolia and excavations began. This was Catalhoyuk.

Catalhoyuk was a broad mound 42 km. south east of Konya between the towns of Kucukkoy and Karkin. The pieces of pottery found at the top of the mound drew the attention of archaeologists and the first stage of excavations produced extraordinary results. Here were the remains of a Neolithic settlement of a completely unknown civilization yet older than that at Hacilar. This civilization had not yet discovered writing and it was impossible to identify its people. However, they were not only the most advanced civilization of those times in Anatolia but of the whole world. They were the harbingers of civilization. The findings from Catalhoyuk dated back to seven and eight thousand years before Christ, and this ten thousand year old civilization had left houses, temples, palaces, food, statues which they had worshipped, ornaments, bowls and weapons. Their society was undeniably civilized. The white plastered walls made of sun dried bricks were decorated with frescoes depicting people and animals. Their houses which were generally joined one to another were entered by steps going down into the houses from the roofs. They had ovens. Because they had not yet discovered metal they had made weapons out of obsidian. Stone and clay figurines of pregnant women were found, making it clear that the core of their belief was in the Mother Goddess. And heads of bulls were found in their temples which must also have had some religious significance. No one can deny the beauty and delicacy of their painted pots and bowls decorated with geometric designs. During the years of the Catalhoyuk excavations I followed the studies closely as Director of Konya Museum. I will never forget the day when the grave of the owner of the house was opened inside a brick room. They were working painstakingly with needles and we were standing beside them looking on. Beside the skeleton in the grave they discovered a shining hand mirror made of polished black obsidian. It was clear that it was the grave of a woman, Even when they have died women still cannot do without a mirror. And what was really interesting was that on the right side of the skeleton was a small clay pot containing dark red paint which must have been the woman's rouge and lipstick. Which shows that women were the same ten thousand years ago as they £re today. So many necklaces made of painted stones and bones were found in the Catalhoyuk excavations that those who saw them were left astonished. But to cut a long story short the Catalhoyuk excavations went on until 1965, and the findings were exhabited in the main rooms of the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, making up a nine and ten thousand year old treasury. S u eh an archaeological discovery has not been seen in any other country in the world.

ALACAHOYUK TREASURES

Alacalhoyuk was a small Anatolian village 33 km. east of Sungurlu in the province of Corum. The village was situated on top of a low mound on an old settlement site which dated back to three thousand years before Christ. On top of the mound were close to seventy village houses made of brick. The preliminary excavations made by the villager’s uncovered pieces of pottery, and the statues of sphinxes which had stood at the gates of an old wall surrounding the mound. Arc'haeologists decided that this was an important centre of civilization which threw light on the early historical ages of Anatolia. it was decided to excavate. Dr. Remzi Oguz Arik and Dr. Hamit Zubeyr Ko'say were appointed as heads of the excavation team, and the Turkish Historical institute allocated funds of 1000 lira to finance the excavations. The excavation team pocketed the 1000 lira and on August 21, 1935 arrived at Alaca. Excavations began in the village square the next day. Pieces of pottery from the third millennium BC and the Anatolian Early Bronze Age were found. However, soon the money began to run out and with the last few lira a grave room was being cleaned. Archaeologists called this the Great Grave, because it was the biggest of the six which were opened that year. The grave room was six meters long and four meters wide. The top layer of soil was removed. Small findings from recent periods were being uncovered. But at five meters in depth the situation suddenly changed. Pieces of wood, bowls with lips for pouring, skeletons, and bronze sun discs which were religious symbols were found. The archaeologists got excited. At the same time as they carefully removed the archaeological findings they dug deeper. At a depth of six meters they came upon a treasury. They found a gold crown, gold hair pins, a gold sword hilt, a gold ewer and a gold cup ornaments and gold discs from necklaces were scattered all around. They immediately gathered up the treasures and set guards to watch the grave. That night the excavation team couldn't sleep from excitement and joy. The following morning of September 19, 1935 the excavation team was taken to Sungurlu by two horse carnage in order to notify Atatürk by telegraph of what they had discovered. Upon receiving the telegram, Atatürk left Istanbul for Ankara on September 21, 1935 with the intention of going to Alacahoyuk and seeing the findings. However illness prevented him from completing his journey to Alacatioyuk and in his place he sent the Minister of Education Safvet Ari'kan, the Chairman of the Turkish Historical Association Semseddin Gunaltay. Professor Afet inan and Professor Hikmet Bayur. This delegation returned to Ankara with the treasure found at Alacahoyuk. Ataturk was pleased and proud to see it on his desk in the presidential residence in Cankaya. The first important findings of the excavations which lie had ordered were in front of him. He decided that a Faculty of Language History and Geography should1 be opened in Ankara to train history and language specialists and that more extensive excavations should be carried out. After a short time the Faculty opened in Ankara on January 9, 1936. The Alacahoyuk findings were given to the Eti Museum which was opened on Ataturk's orders and which is the present Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. Atatürk launched a triumphant period for Turkish history and archaeology. With the work of Turkish scientists and curators an enlightened scientific period began in which great achievements were made.

Today the findings of Alacahoyuk are displayed among the masterpieces exhibited at the Museum af Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara. Among these gold work’s which were death presents laid in the graves of kings and princes in Alacahoyuk are a gold ewer, a gold cup, gold necklaces and brooches, a gold sword hilt, and bronze sun discs and stags. These are genuine works of art made before the Hittites in the Early Bronze Age. Experts estimated that they were made 2400 to 2300 years before Christ. At this period various metals had been discovered by the people of Anatolia. Copper, lead, tin, gold, silver and various alloys such as bronze and electron were used to make ornaments etc. The pottery pitchers, footed fruit bowls, teapots fitted with strainers, vases and bowls were decorated with geometric designs.

The excavations which were begun in 1935 at Alacahoyuk are still continuing today and the findings sent to the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilisations.