SpringerLink
Log in

Scratching the surface? A histotaphonomic study of human remains at Neolithic Çatalhöyük

  • Research
  • Published:
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recent bioarchaeological analyses at the Neolithic Anatolian site of Çatalhöyük have revealed considerable variation in skeletal completeness, preservation, articulation, and flexion among burials. Furthermore, organic remains from burnt contexts demonstrate that many bodies were tightly bound and wrapped using cordage, matting, textile, and animal hides. Some of the observed variation is suggestive of a period of delay between death and final burial for certain individuals, likely as part of a multi-stage funerary rite, perhaps seasonal in nature. It appears that some bodies may have been processed in such a way as to facilitate their temporary storage prior to burial. We examined bone samples from 57 Çatalhöyük individuals using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging techniques to determine whether specific funerary treatments can be associated with specific patterns of microstructural preservation. As endogenous gut bacteria released into the body at the onset of putrefaction are believed by some researchers to be responsible for particular patterns of microscopical focal destruction (MFD) observed in cortical bone, the lack of such bio-erosive features has been used to infer anthropogenic treatments aimed at reducing soft tissue body mass. A previous study of skeletal material from Çatalhöyük claimed to identify bacterial bioerosion in rib thin sections but did not make use of SEM. In the present study, our analyses reveal limited evidence for bacterial MFD, which highlights the fact that standard light microscopy is insufficient for properly documenting microbial bioerosion. While there is a range of variation among other taphonomic variables observed in the current study, it is difficult to associate this variability with specific human interventions. Furthermore, the complex role of local environmental and depositional factors must also be taken into account. As such, caution must be taken when using the presence/absence of bioerosion in human bone alone to assess ancient funerary practices.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files). A representative selection of microscopic (transmitted light and bSEM) images for each bone sample is provided in Supplementary Table 3. The full set of images are available upon request.

Code availability

N/A.

References

  • Andrews P, Bello S (2006) Pattern in human burial practice. In: Knüsel C, Gowland R (eds) The social archaeology of funerary remains. Oxbow Books, Oxford, pp 14–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews P, Molleson T, Boz B (2005) The human burials at Çatalhöyük. In Hodder I (ed.), Inhabiting Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 1995–99 Seasons. Çatalhöyük Research Project Series Volume 4. London, British Institute at Ankara; Cambridge, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research: 261–78

  • Anvari J, Brady J, Franz I, Naumov G, Orton D, Ostaptchouk S, Stroud E, Willett PT, Rosenstock E, Biehl PF (2017) Continuous change: venturing into the early Chalcolithic at Çatalhöyük. In: Steadman SR, McMahon G (eds) The Archaeology of Anatolia Volume II: Recent Discoveries (2015–2016). Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne (UK), pp 6–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Aturaliya S, Lukasewycz A (1999) Experimental forensic and bioanthropological aspects of soft tissue taphonomy. Part 1: Factors influencing postmortem tissue desiccation rate. J Forensic Sci 44:893–896

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ayala G, Wainwright J, Walker J, Hodara R, Lloyd JM, Leng M, Doherty C (2017) Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the alluvial landscape of Neolithic Çatalhöyük, central southern Turkey: the implications for early agriculture and responses to environmental change. J Archaeol Sci 87:30–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2017.09.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bayliss A, Brock F, Farid S, Hodder I, Southon J, Taylor RE (2015) Getting to the bottom of it all: a Bayesian approach to dating the start of Çatalhöyük. J World Prehist 28:1–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell LS (ed) (2012) Forensic Microscopy for Skeletal Tissues. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell LS, Skinner MF, Jones SJ (1996) The speed of post mortem change to the human skeleton and its taphonomic significance. Forensic Sci Int 82:129e140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bender Jørgensen L, Rast-Eicher A, Wendrich W (2021) Textiles, cordage and basketry from Çatalhöyük. In Hodder I (ed.), The Matter of Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2009–2017 Seasons. Çatalhöyük Research Project Series Volume 14. London: British Institute at Ankara: pp. 265–86

  • Berna F, Matthews A, Weiner S (2004) Solubilities of bone mineral from archaeological sites: the recrystallization window. J Archaeol Sci 31(7):867–882

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biehl P (2012) The transition of the megasite Çatalhöyük in the Late Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic. In Matthews R and Curtis J (eds), Proceedings of the 7th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. Volume I: Mega-Cities and Mega-Sites. The Archaeology of Consumption and Disposal, Landscape, Transport and Communication. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, pp. 17–34

  • Bienert H-D (1991) Skull cult in the prehistoric Near East. J Prehist Relig 5:9–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Bocquentin F, Kodaş E, Ortiz A (2016) Headless but still eloquent! Acephalous skeletons as witnesses of Pre-Pottery Neolithic North-South Levant. Paléorient 42(2):35–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bogaard A, Charles M, Livarda A, Ergun M, Filipović D, Jones G (2013) The archaeobotany of mid-later occupation levels at Neolithic Çatalhöyük. In Hodder I (ed.), Humans and Landscapes of Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2000–2008 Seasons. London: British Institute at Ankara; Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press: pp. 93–128

  • Booth TJ (2016) An investigation into the relationship between funerary treatment and bacterial bioerosion in European archaeological human bone. Archaeometry 58(3):484–499

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booth TJ, Madgwick R (2016) New evidence for diverse secondary burial practices in Iron Age Britain: a histological case study. J Archaeol Sci 67:14–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booth TJ, Chamberlain AT, Parker Pearson M (2015) Mummification in Bronze Age Britain. Antiquity 89(347):1155–1173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boz B, Hager LD (2013) Intramural burial practices at Çatalhöyük, Central Anatolia, Turkey. In: Hodder I (ed) Humans and Landscapes of Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2000–2008 Seasons. British Institute at Ankara, London; Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, Los Angeles, pp 413–40

  • Boz B, Hager LD (2014) Making sense of social behavior from disturbed and commingled skeletons: a case study from Çatalhöyük, Turkey. In: Osterholtz AJ, Baustian KM, Martin D (eds) Commingled and Disarticulated Human Remains: Working Toward Improved Theory, Method, and Data. Springer, New York, pp 17–33

  • Brönnimann D, Portmann C, Pichlera SL, Booth TJ, Röder B, Vach W, Schibler J, Rentzel P (2018) Contextualising the dead – combining geoarchaeology and osteo-anthropology in a new multi-focus approach in bone histotaphonomy. J Archaeol Sci 98:45–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charles MP, Doherty C, Asouti E, Bogaard A, Henton E, Larsen CS, Ruff CB, Ryan P, Sadvari JW, Twiss KC (2014) Landscape and taskscape at Çatalhöyük: an integrated perspective. In: Hodder I (ed) Integrating Çatalhöyük: Themes from the 2000–2008 Season (Çatalhöyük Research Project Series, vol 10. British Institute at Ankara, London, pp 71–90

  • de Meester T (1970) Soils of the Great Konya Basin. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen, Turkey

    Google Scholar 

  • Duffett Carlson KS, Mandl K, McCall A, Brönnimann D, Teschler-Nicola M, Weiss-Krejci E, Metscher B (2022) 3D visualization of bioerosion in archaeological bone. J Archaeol Sci 145:105646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eriksen AMH, Nielsen TK, Matthiesen H, Carøe C, Hansen LH, Gregory DJ, Turner-Walker G, Collins MJ, Gilbert MTP (2020) Bone biodeterioration—The effect of marine and terrestrial depositional environments on early diagenesis and bone bacterial community. PLoS ONE 15(10):e0240512

  • Fernández-Jalvo Y, Andrews P (2016) Atlas of Taphonomic Identifications. Springer, Dordrecht Heidelberg

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Jalvo Y, Andrews P, Pesquero D, Smith C, Marín-Monfort D, Sánchez B, Geigl EM, Alonso A (2010) Early bone diagenesis in temperate environments. Part I: Surface features and histology. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 288:62–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forbes SL, Stuart BH, Dent BB (2005) The effect of method of burial on adipocere formation. Forensic Sci Int 154:44–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goren HP, Agarwal SC, Beauchesne P (2020) Interpreting mortuary treatment from histological bone diagenesis: a case study from Neolithic Çatalhöyük. Int J Osteoarchaeol 31:121–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hackett CJ (1981) Microscopical focal destruction (tunnels) in exhumed human bones. Med Sci Law 21:243–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haddow SD (forthcoming) Histotaphonomic analysis of Neolithic burials from the PPNB site of Ba’ja, Jordan. In Gebel H-GK and Benz M (eds), The Household and Death Project: Neolithic Ba’ja. Berlin: ex-oriente

  • Haddow SD, Sadvari JW, Knüsel CJ, Hadad R (2016) A tale of two platforms: commingled remains and the life-course of houses at Neolithic Çatalhöyük. In: Osterholtz A (ed) Theoretical Approaches to Analysis and Interpretation of Commingled Human Remains. Springer, New York, pp 5–29

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Haddow SD, Knüsel CJ (2017) Skull retrieval and secondary burial practices in the Neolithic Near East: recent insights from Çatalhöyük, Turkey. Bioarchaeol Int 1(1–2):52–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haddow SD, Schotsmans EMJ, Milella M, Pilloud MA, Tibbetts B, Betz B and Knüsel CJ (2021) Funerary practices I: body treatment and deposition. In I. Hodder (ed.), Peopling the Landscape of Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2009–2017 Seasons. Çatalhöyük Research Project Series Volume 13. London: British Institute at Ankara: pp. 281–314

  • Haddow SD, Baird D, Mangaloğlu-Votruba S, Mazzucato C, Yağcı B and Pearson J (forthcoming) A histotaphonomic assessment of funerary practices at Boncuklu Höyük. In D. Baird (ed.), Excavations at Neolithic Boncuklu Höyük. London: British Institute in Ankara

  • Hakbijl T (2002) The traditional, historical and prehistoric use of ashes as an insecticide, with an experimental study on the insecticidal efficacy of washed ash. Environ Archaeol 7:13–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedges REM, Millard AR, Pike AWG (1995) Measurements and relationships of diagenetic alteration of bone from three archaeological sites. J Archaeol Sci 22:201–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodder I, Cessford C (2004) Daily practice and social memory at Çatalhöyük. Am Antiq 69(1):17–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hollund HI, Jans MME, Collins MJ, Kars H, Joosten I, Kars SM (2012) What happened here? Bone histology as a tool in decoding the postmortem histories of archaeological bone from Castricum, The Netherlands. Int J Osteoarchaeol 22(5):537–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jans MME (2005) Histological characterisation of diagenetic alteration of archaeological bone. PhD Thesis, Institute for Geo and Bioarchaeology, Vrije Universiteit: Amsterdam

  • Jans MME, Nielsen-Marsh CM, Smith CI, Collins MJ, Kars H (2004) Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone. J Archaeol Sci 31:87–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall C, Eriksen AMH, Kontopoulos I, Collins MJ, Turner-Walker G (2018) Diagenesis of archaeological bone and tooth. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 491:21–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.11.041

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kontopoulos I, Nystrom P, White L (2016) Experimental taphonomy: post-mortem microstructural modifications in Sus scrofa domesticus bone. Forensic Sci Int 266:320–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kontopoulos I, Van de Vijver K, Robberechts B, von Tersch M, Turner-Walker G, Penkman K, Collins MJ (2022) Histological and stable isotope analysis of archeological bones from St. Rombout’s cemetery (Mechelen, Belgium): intrasite, intraindividual, and intrabone variability. Int J Osteoarchaeol 32(5):1142–1156. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzucuoğlu C, Bertaux J, Black S, Denefle M, Fontugne M, Karabiyikoğlu M, Kashima K, Limondin-Lozouet N, Mouralis D, Orth P (1999) Reconstruction of climatic changes during the late Pleistocene, based on sediment records from the Konya basin (Central Anatolia, Turkey). Geol J 34:175e198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larsen CS, Hillson SW, Boz B, Pilloud M, Sadvari JW, Agarwal SC, Glencross B, Beauchesne P, Pearson J, Ruff CB, Garofalo EM, Hager LD, Haddow SD, Knüsel CJ (2015) Bioarchaeology of Neolithic Çatalhöyük: Lives and Lifestyles of an Early Farming Society in Transition. J World Prehist 28:27–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larsen CS, Knüsel CJ, Haddow SD, Pilloud MA, Milella M, Sadvari JW, Pearson J, Ruff CB, Garofalo EM, Bocaege E, Betz BJ, Dori I, Glencross B (2019) Bioarchaeology of Neolithic Çatalhöyük reveals fundamental transitions in health, mobility, and lifestyle in early farmers. PNAS 116(26):12615–12623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lê S, Josse J, Husson F (2008) FactoMineR: an R package for multivariate analysis. J Stat Softw 25:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemorini C, Cristiani E, Cesaro S, Venditti F, Zupancich A, Gopher A (2020) The use of ash at Late Lower Paleolithic Qesem Cave, Israel – an integrated study of use-wear and residue analysis. PLoS ONE 15(9):e0237502. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machiafava V, Bonucci L, Ascenzi A (1974) Fungal osteoclasia: a model of dead bone resorption. Calcif Tissue Res 14:195–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandl K, Carlson KSD, Brönnimann D, McCall A, Grassberger M, Teschler-Nicola M, Weiss-Krejci E, Metscher B (2022) Substantiating microCT for diagnosing bioerosion in archaeological bone using a new Virtual Histological Index (VHI). Archaeol Anthropol Sci 14:104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mann RW, Bass WM, Meadows L (1990) Time since death and decomposition of the human body: variables and observations in case and experimental field studies. J Forensic Sci 35:103–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marciniak A, Barański MZ, Bayliss A, Czerniak L, Goslar T, Southon J, Taylor RE (2015) ‘Fragmenting times: interpreting a Bayesian chronology for the Late Neolithic occupation of Çatalhöyük East. Turkey’ Antiquity 89:154–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mellaart J (1962) Excavations at Çatal Hüyük, first preliminary report, 1961. Anatol Stud 12:41–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mellaart J (1967) Çatal Hüyük: A Neolithic Town in Anatolia. Thames and Hudson, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Millard AR (2001) The deterioration of bone. In: Brothwell DR, Pollard AM (eds) Handbook of Archaeological Sciences. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, pp 637–647

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura C, Meskell LM (2009) Articulate bodies: forms and figures at Çatalhöyük. J Archaeol Method Theory 16:205–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura C, Meskell LM (2013a) Figurine worlds at Çatalhöyük. In Hodder I (ed.), Substantive Technologies at Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2000–2008 Seasons. London, British Institute at Ankara; Cambridge, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research: 201–34

  • Nakamura C, Meskell LM (2013b) The Çatalhöyük burial assemblage. In I. Hodder (ed.), Humans and landscapes of Çatalhöyük: reports from the 2000–2008 seasons. London. British Institute at Ankara; Cambridge, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research: 441–66

  • Nicholson RA (1998) Bone degradation in a compost heap. J Archaeol Sci 25:393–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen-Marsh CM, Smith CI, Jans MM, Nord A, Kars H, Collins MJ (2007) Bone diagenesis in the European Holocene II: taphonomic and environmental considerations. J Archaeol Sci 34(9):1523–1531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orton D, Anvari J, Gibson C, Last J, Bogaard A, Rosenstock E, Biehl P (2018) A tale of two tells: Dating the Çatalhöyük West Mound. Antiquity 92:620–639

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson JA, Meskell LM (2013) Isotopes and images: fleshing out bodies at Çatalhöyük. J Archaeol Method Theory 22:461–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson JA, Buitenhuis H, Hedges REM, Martin L, Russell N, Twiss KC (2007) New light on early caprine herding strategies from isotope analysis: a case study from Neolithic Anatolia. J Archaeol Sci 34:2170–2179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson JA, Haddow SD, Hillson SW, Knüsel CJ, Larsen CS, Sadvari J (2015) Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis and dietary reconstruction through the lifecourse at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey. J Soc Archaeol 15:210–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rast-Eicher A, Karg S, Bender Jørgensen L (2021) The use of local fibres for textiles at Neolithic Çatalhöyük. Antiquity 95(383):1129–1144. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2021.89

  • Russell N, Twiss KC, Orton DC and Demirergi GA (2013) More on the Çatalhöyük mammal remains. In Hodder I (ed.), Humans and Landscapes of Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2000–2008 Seasons. London: British Institute at Ankara; Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press: pp. 213–58

  • Ryan P (2013) Plant exploitation from household and landscape perspectives: the phytolith evidence. In Hodder I (ed.), Humans and Landscapes of Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2000–2008 Seasons. London: British Institute at Ankara; Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press: pp. 163–90

  • Schotsmans EMJ, Toksoy-Köksal F, Brettell RC, Bessou M, Corbineau R, Lingle AM, Castex D, Knüsel CJ, Wilson AS, Bouquin D, Blanchard P, Becker K, Chapoulie R (2019) ‘Not all that is white is lime’ – white substances from archaeological burial contexts: analyses and interpretations. Archaeometry 61:809–827

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schotsmans EMJ, Busacca G, Lin SC, Vasić M, Lingle AM, Veropoulidou R, Mazzucato C, Tibbetts B, Haddow SD, Somel M, Toksoy-Köksal F, Knüsel CJ, Milella M (2022) New insights on commemoration of the dead through mortuary and architectural use of pigments at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey. Sci Rep 12:4055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shillito L-M, Matthews W, and Almond MJ (2013) Ecology, diet and discard practices: new interdisciplinary approaches to the study of middens through integrating micromorphological, phytolith and geochemical analyses In Hodder I (ed.), Humans and Landscapes of Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2000–2008 Seasons. London: British Institute at Ankara; Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press: pp. 65–76

  • Smith CI, Nielsen-Marsh CM, Jans MME, Collins MJ (2007) Bone diagenesis in the European Holocene I: patterns and mechanisms. J Archaeol Sci 34(9):1485–1493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tjelldén AKE, Kristiansen SM, Birkedal H, Jans MME (2018) The pattern of human bone dissolution—a histological study of Iron Age warriors from a Danish wetland site. Int J Osteoarchaeol 28:407–418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trueman CN, Martill DM (2002) The long-term survival of bone: The role of bioerosion. Archaeometry 44:371–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner-Walker G (2019) Light at the end of the tunnels? The origins of microbial bioerosion in mineralised collagen. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 529:24–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner-Walker G, Jans M (2008) Reconstructing taphonomic histories using histological analysis. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 266(3–4):227–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner-Walker G, Gutiérrez Galiacho A, Armentano N, Hsu C-Q (2022) Bacterial bioerosion of bones is a post-skeletonisation phenomenon and appears contingent on soil burial. Quatern Int. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2022.12.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vasić M, Knüsel CJ, Haddow SD (2021) Funerary practices II: burial associations. In Hodder I (ed) Peopling the Landscape of Çatalhöyük. Reports from the 2009–2017 Seasons. British Institute at Ankara, London, pp 357–94

  • Viani A, Machová D, Mácová P, Mali G, Velemínský P (2021) Bone diagenesis in the medieval cemetery of Vratislavs’ Palace in Prague. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 13:39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-021-01286-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wedl C (1864) Über einen im Zahnbein und Knochen keimenden Pilz. (Concerning a fungus germinating from dentine and bone). In: Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Classe. 50. pp. 171–93

  • Wendrich W (2005) Çatalhöyük basketry. In Hodder I (ed.), Changing Materialities at Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 1995–99 Seasons. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research; London: The British Institute at Ankara, pp. 333–38 and 589–96

  • Wendrich W (2006) The Çatalhöyük basketry. In: Hodder I (ed) Changing Materialities at Çatalhöyük. Reports from the 1995–99 Seasons. MacDonald Institute for Archaeology, Cambridge, pp 419–424

  • Wendrich W, Ryan P (2012) Phytoliths and basketry materials at Çatalhöyük (Turkey): timelines of growth, harvest and objects life histories. Paléorient 38(1–2):55–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White L, Booth TJ (2014) The origin of bacteria responsible for bioerosion to the internal bone microstructure: results from experimentally deposited pig carcasses. Forensic Sci Int 239:92–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfhagen J, Twiss KC, Mulville JA, Demirergi GA (2021) Examining caprine management and cattle domestication through biometric analyses at Çatalhöyük East (North and South Areas). In: Hodder I (ed) Peopling the Landscape of Çatalhöyük: Reports from the 2009–2017 Seasons. British Institute at Ankara, London, pp 181–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Yaka R, Mapelli I, Kaptan D, Doğu A, Chyleński M, Erdal OM, Koptekin D, Vural KB, Bayliss A, Mazzucato C, Fer E, Çokoğlu SS, Lagerholm VK, Krzewińska M, Karamurat C, Gemici HC, Sevkar A, Dağtaş NH, Kılınç GH, Adams D, Munters AR, Sağlıcan E, Milella M, Schotsmans EMJ, Yurtman E, Çetin M, Yorulmaz S, Altınışık E, Ghalichi A, Juras A, Bilgin CC, Günther T, Storå J, Jakobsson M, de Kleijn M, Mustafaoğlu G, Fairbairn A, Pearson J, Togan İ, Kayacan N, Marciniak A, Larsen CS, Hodder I, Atakuman Ç, Pilloud M, Sürer E, Gerritsen F, Özbal R, Baird D, Erdal YS, Duru G, Özbaşaran M, Haddow SD, Knüsel CJ, Götherström A, Özer F, Somel M (2021) Variable kinship patterns in Neolithic Anatolia revealed by ancient genomes. Curr Biol 31:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The first author is grateful to a number of individuals for providing valuable expertise and feedback on this research, in particular Gordon Turner-Walker, Matthew Collins, and Hayley Mickleburgh.

Funding

This research was funded in part by a 2017–2018 Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED) fellowship, a 2018–2019 British Academy Newton Advanced Fellowship (NAFR1180202), and a 2019–2021 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (GAP-837781) awarded to the first author. This project received funding from the French State under the auspices of the “Investments for the future” Program, IdEx (Initiative d’Excellence) of the University of Bordeaux, reference ANR-10-IDEX-03–02 (to CJK). Schotsmans’ research participation was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement 794891) with the University of Bordeaux and the Australian Research Council (DE210101384).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Scott D. Haddow & Camilla Mazzucato

  2. Department of Archaeology and History of Art, Koç University, Istanbul, Türkiye

    Sıla Mangaloğlu-Votruba & Barış Yağcı

  3. Francis Crick Institute, London, UK

    Thomas Booth

  4. Centre for Archaeological Science, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia

    Eline M. J. Schotsmans

  5. UMR 5199, PACEA, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

    Eline M. J. Schotsmans & Christopher J. Knüsel

Authors
  1. Scott D. Haddow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Camilla Mazzucato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sıla Mangaloğlu-Votruba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Barış Yağcı
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Thomas Booth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Eline M. J. Schotsmans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Christopher J. Knüsel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

The project was conceived by SDH, CJK, and ES. SDH and ES sampled the skeletal material. SDH, SMV, and BY carried out the sample preparation and microscopical analyses. CM conducted the statistical analysis. Interpretation of results was conducted by SDH and CM with the assistance of TB. SDH wrote the manuscript text. All authors reviewed the manuscript text.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Scott D. Haddow.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. No human or animal experiments were carried out for this study. Human skeletal remains were analyzed with the consent of the Turkish authorities under the permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General-Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, provided to the Çatalhöyük Research Project under the direction of Prof. Ian Hodder. All protocols were approved by Koç University and the University of Copenhagen.

Consent to participate

N/A.

Consent for publication

N/A.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (XLSX 16.9 kb)

Supplementary file2 (PDF 22.7 Mb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Haddow, S.D., Mazzucato, C., Mangaloğlu-Votruba, S. et al. Scratching the surface? A histotaphonomic study of human remains at Neolithic Çatalhöyük. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 15, 74 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-023-01756-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-023-01756-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation