Archaeologists excavating one of the most captivating Neolithic sites in central Turkey believe they have uncovered evidence of a 9000-year-old “House of the Dead.”
The archaeological site, known as Çatalhöyük, has been home to some of the region’s most significant Neolithic discoveries and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. During recent excavations, led by Professor Dr. Arkadiusz Marciniak of Poznań University, the remains of 20 individuals were found interred beneath the floor in a building that had not been intended as a dwelling space.
The recent excavations were focused on the site’s eastern sector, where Poznań has been operating since 2018, following work in other sections of Çatalhöyük since 2001.
House of the Dead
Following the removal of thousands of years of sediment, archaeologists discovered multiple buildings surrounding a central courtyard. Notably, the structures appeared to have no domestic usage. Instead, one of the buildings served as what is called a “House of the Dead” or “Spiritual House.” Buried under the House of the Dead were 20 sets of human remains, reports Anatolian Archaeology.
Analyzing the bodies, Marciniak and the team of archaeologists excavating the site believe that the corpses were intentionally placed there, having been brought to the area from other locations for purposes involving a ritual burial.
The excavation team’s findings lead the researchers to conclude that the building was a ceremonial mortuary rather than a dwelling place; a discovery that helps to reaffirm the idea that the area around the courtyard was dedicated to uses other than housing.
Surrounding the Spiritual House
Other buildings in the eastern segment of the excavation are becoming increasingly interesting to archaeologists studying the site, with the intention of continuing excavations. One of these structures appears to have had ritual uses as well, revealing the remnants of painted walls and 14 platforms. The large building is currently scheduled for further investigation in 2026.
Although smaller, another building in the eastern portion of the excavation site has also caught archaeologists’ eyes. While radiocarbon dating has yet to be performed on the structure, the Poznan University team estimates it may be one of the oldest in that part of the settlement.
Like the House of the Dead, three sets of human remains have so far been discovered interred beneath its platforms. Similar to its surroundings, researchers believe that it was only used for special activities.
The Story of Çatalhöyük
Archaeologists believe that Çatalhöyük was established roughly 9,000 years ago, as humans first began the transition to permanent farming civilizations, abandoning hundreds of thousands of years of hunting and gathering. It is one of the most ancient urban centers ever to be identified, with experts estimating up to 8,000 inhabitants at the site’s peak.
The buildings of Çatalhöyük display evidence of a civilization with a well-developed belief system. Instead of simply containing practical dwellings to house the city’s residents, multiple instances of sacred spaces reserved for use in burials, communal ceremonies, and rituals have been identified.
One of the most pronounced examples of these spiritual beliefs transcending the basic struggle for existence includes the symbolic paintings adorning the walls of the burial structures, which appear to convey a complex relationship between life and the mystical in the minds of the site’s ancient artists.
Continued excavations and study of the site will continue to illuminate how early urbanized humans organized themselves and developed complex belief systems.
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.