| Entry: | The use of open spaces through time is a central concern for my dissertation project and in many ways Space 610 is the perfect case study. Large and multi-phased, the space has variously accommodated a great array of activities (ranging from food processing and consumption, to the production of ornaments and tools, to discard and its management). This open area has also provided the space and resources necessary to build and maintain structures. This is apparent in the complicated sequence of buildings (e.g. B.3, B.129, B.131, B.114, B.119, etc.) that have been cut into, and in some cases also swallowed up by this space. This space keeps me on my toes and I am forced to rethink my expectations daily.
After cleaning in preparation for a 3D model of Sp.610, I (as well as Ian and Arek at various points) noted a wall-like feature running E-W in the center of the space. This feature was likely cut by the BACH team during their excavations of this space (at the time, Sp.85). As I continue to excavate and attempt to clarify this feature, I can’t help but get a little bit ahead of myself. Is this wall-like feature a part of a larger structure? If not, was it used to appropriate or divide up the open space? Or was it meant to protect an area or structure against the instability and pressure produced because of "midden" accumulations? And lastly, what evidence is required to substantiate these claims? Of course, it is far too early to answer these questions. But as I continue to excavate and think about these topics, I am not only pushed to reevaluate my expectations of a "typical" Çatalhöyük open space, I also become better equipped to grasp and to come to terms with the legacy data and interpretations that have accumulated over the last two and a half decades of excavation. |
