The Curious Case of Çatalhöyük

Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED) hosts an exhibition about the Çatalhöyük Research Project which celebrates its 25th excavation season this year. The exhibition presents the fascinating cutting-edge archaeological research methods, and remains open till October 25.

Known for its fascinating cutting-edge archaeological research methods, and laboratory collaborations, Çatalhöyük will be presented in the exhibition titled “The Curious Case of Çatalhöyük” through experiment-based display features including 3D prints of finds, laser-scanned overviews of excavation areas, and immersive Virtual Reality (VR) opportunities that bring the 9000-year-old Çatalhöyük settlement back to life.

Çatalhöyük is a Neolithic settlement, located in the Konya plain, in central Turkey. It has been excavated under the directorship of Ian Hodder since 1993 and has resulted in universally significant research. The exhibition project was developed under the supervision of Ian Hodder and curated by Duygu Tarkan with the contributions of researchers from the Çatalhöyük Research Project. The exhibition is designed by PATTU Architecture and made possible by the support of Yapı Kredi Bank that is one of the main sponsors of Çatalhöyük excavations since 1997 and the technological sponsorship of Arçelik.

“The Curious Case of Çatalhöyük” narrates the reflexive methods of the excavations from the initial phase when the trowel touches the soil to the documentation of the finds, from laboratory analysis to the transfer of information. It sheds light on the work of the research team of international specialists and elucidates the various stages of an excavation project. Although field excavation remains a primary form of investigation at Çatalhöyük, digital, experimental and visual reconstruction methods are increasingly employed to aid research and interpretation. This legacy is reflected in exhibition displays with 3D printed replicas of selected finds as well as laser-scanned overviews of the mounds. A VR project presents an immersive recreation of the Çatalhöyük settlement. Equipped with VR headsets, visitors will be transported back into a Çatalhöyük building to observe what life was like back then.

This contemporary approach will be followed by incorporative artistic interventions to underline how the site has been subject to various artworks and offers new perspectives to understand the life at Çatalhöyük. Additionally, more than 500 articles and books published on Çatalhöyük have been compiled for the exhibition and will be on display in the ANAMED Library with the opportunity to examine all of the written sources on one of the most complex societies of its time.

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