Building 42

Area: South 

Building 42 is an extremely truncated building in south shelter, the southern extent of which was excavated in 2002. B42 is defined by walls F826,F827 and F825 to E,S +W respectively. W + N limit defined by truncation due to Mellaarts excavations. B42 appears to be built over midden to E and earlier building to west. The main internal features of B42 are similar to those in many other buildings at Catal- platforms F1501+2 to NE +E, bench F1503 on E wall, platform F1510 to S, oven F828 to S and hearths F1507+1520 to W. Building is thought to be level IV or V. A major difference between this building and others is the low number of phases in comparison to 'standard' Catal houses even though the layout is similar: for instance platforms F1501+2 consist of 3 and 4 episodes of make up and plastering only. A domestic aspect to the house is reflected in hearths F1507+1520 and oven F828, these are located in S part of building, hearth F1520 may have been used for a ?considerable time before being refurbished as F1507. The main focus of activity appears to have been concentrated on the eastern part of the building within platforms F1501+2 + bench F1503. In fact this division of space (activity?) was layed out in the initial stages and appears to have been planned and part of an intended design from the start. F1519 divides up the area within B42, along with bench F1503 into areas for platforms, areas for oven and hearth and floor area. So platforms- special / ritual; oven/hearth- dirty; floor- clean? Even before F1519 constructed, burial F1517 had picked out space which was to become F1501 for special attention. The platforms 1501+2 + bench 1503 in east of B42 appear to be a focus for activity, particularly burial activity. F1517 has already been mentioned, but burials F1513,1514,1511,1512 were all located on these platforms and all but F1512 were cut through make up (not plaster) before being plastered over, suggesting presentation was an important aspect of these areas. These platforms and bench consist of 3 or 4 phases only, of make up and plastering pos suggesting short lived or unworn/unused and therefore special/different in nature. This is reinforced by suggestion of bucrania on both platforms by niches F1508+9- shrine aspect to building?? So B42 would appear to be a special house suggested by special burials F1517 with plastered skull, burials into make up, not plaster on F1501+2; the complete marble mother goddess figurine (10475x2); the high finish to platforms and bench in terms of plaster and adornment -bucrania; the few phses of plastering on bench and platforms. There is also the aspect of zoning and planning, this is a well thought out building; F1519 dividing up interior, F1517 located in a specific place. These zones then appear constant throughout lifetime of building, platforms stay platforms, bench stays as bench, the focal, ritual, clean and dirty areas are constant. So although B42 has many aspects/ similarities to standard Catal houses ther are times when it sets itself apart and appears to favour a more 'ritualised' (maybe less domestic?) persona. It would appear that the people who built and utilised this building intended this from the start and didnt stray from their intentions and continued to 'remake the building in its original image.' 

Number of Related Diary Entries: 5

Conservation Recorded: No

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