Çatalhöyük, located in southern Turkey, is known as one of the earliest settlements of humanity, with a flourishing history dating back to 7100 BC. However, after about 1,000 years of existence, this city mysteriously collapsed, falling silent and leaving behind many unanswered questions until now.
Recently, an international research team led by Professor Clark Spencer Larsen (Ohio State University, USA) has unveiled part of the veil of mystery surrounding Çatalhöyük through the analysis of 742 skeletons excavated there. This discovery provides chilling evidence of the “curse” that befell the city, claiming the lives of its inhabitants and leaving it in ruins.
A Journey Back in Time to Çatalhöyük
Catalhöyük was inhabited by people from approximately 7500 BCE to 6200 BCE. This sprawling city encompassed over 8,000 houses, constructed from mudbrick and timber. The houses were built closely together, creating a labyrinth of alleyways and courtyards. Catalhöyük was discovered in 1951 by Turkish archaeologist James Mellaart. Since then, excavations have unearthed a treasure trove of information about the lives of the Catalhöyük people.
The Çatalhöyük people thrived as both skilled farmers and artisans. They cultivated crops and raised livestock, while also creating impressive pottery, jewelry, and figurines. Their society was complex, with a potential elite class, and their beliefs centered around nature deities and rituals like animal sacrifice and the burial of the dead.
Unearthing the Silent Witnesses
The meticulous examination of the 742 skeletons unearthed from Çatalhöyük has revealed a disturbing pattern of violence. A shockingly high mortality rate, particularly during the city’s peak period, paints a grim picture of a society plagued by conflict. The telltale signs of trauma – severe cranial fractures inflicted by blunt objects – are etched onto the remains, bearing witness to the brutality that engulfed Çatalhöyük.
Detailed analysis of the skeletons revealed an unusually high mortality rate, especially during Çatalhöyük’s golden age. In a sample of 95 skulls from Çatalhöyük, more than one-fourth – 25 individuals — showed evidence of healed fractures. And 12 of them had been victimized more than once, with two to five injuries over a period of time. The shape of the lesions suggested that blows to the head from hard, round objects caused them – and clay balls of the right size and shape were also found at the site.
Intriguingly, these injuries were not confined to any particular demographic group. Men, women, and children alike bore the scars of violence, suggesting that no one within the city was spared from its relentless grip. This pervasive violence casts a dark shadow over Çatalhöyük’s final years, hinting at a society teetering on the brink of collapse.
Not to mention, 33% of the total 742 remains showed signs of bacterial infection. 13% of women’s teeth and 10% of men’s teeth were damaged, indicating that they ate an unbalanced diet, too much cereal compared to other food groups. Sanitation conditions were extremely poor, and the walls and floors were highly contaminated with human and animal feces.
Theories Behind the Tragedy
In an attempt to unravel the forces that unleashed such widespread violence upon Çatalhöyük, researchers have proposed a range of hypotheses. One compelling theory suggests that the city’s rapid growth and high population density, with an estimated 8,000 inhabitants crammed within a relatively small area, may have contributed to escalating tensions and social unrest.
All the bad conditions such as overcrowding, food shortages, epidemics… have led to violence in the city. This explains the skull-fractured remains mentioned above: they killed each other out of stress, anger, and survival. These tragedies continued one after another and spread more and more like a curse, until the prosperous metropolis completely collapsed.
Environmental factors may have also played a role in Çatalhöyük’s demise. Droughts, resource scarcity, or the spread of disease could have exacerbated existing social and economic inequalities, leading to competition, conflict, and ultimately, violence.
The 9,000-year-old skeletons at Çatalhöyük tell a tragic tale of the collapse of a great civilization. The “curse” hidden in these skeletons is not only a warning about violence but also a testament to the fragility of human society in the face of environmental and social change. This discovery makes an important contribution to the study of human history, helping us to better understand the past and the challenges faced by our ancestors.
