Çatalhöyük Research Project: On-line Database FacilityCatalhoyuk Research Project: On-line Database Facility

Area: South

Within Building Number:

Phasing:
Mellaart Level: Unassigned at present

Hodder Level: South.Q

Additional Phase Info: Main spine. This space is part of the stratigraphic spine that forms the dating project sequence. The spine has been derived by direct stratigraphic relations as far as possible but does include some abutting relationships. Space261 is below Space 260 and accrues against the east wall of B.53 therefore later than B.53 construction but contemporary with its use. Prior to the introduction of the Hodder phases Sp.261 had been allocated to Mellaart Level VI and a review of the phasing (S.Farid Archive Report 2008) had placed the phasing as more akin to Level V. but Mellaart levels of buildings/spaces NOT excavated in the 1960s have been removed to allow an independent assessment on phasing. NB/Work in progress. Correct as of date entered or modified.Pre 2009

Description:
Space 261 holds an area of midden. It is located in the south shelter and is thought to belong to levels 5/6. The space is bounded to the west by the external wall F1523 of B53, to the south by the southern edge of the shelter, to the north, by the eroded slope of post Mellaart excavations, and to the east, it is arbitrary defined. The space is 5.5 meters by 3.08 meters, east to west and north to south respectively.

Excavation of this space began in the 2005 season and continued through the 2006 season. At the end of the 2006 season the excavation of the space remains incomplete. From the excavation to this point, however, 4 broad phases of activity for life of the space and midden, can now be recognised. Starting with the latest phase:

(I) Post Building 53. This phase contains units 11377 and 11370. The units are layers of midden that have built up over the wall of B53, therefore post dating the activity associated with B53. Both units are described as compound layers, with formation occurring from a mixing of general landscape erosion in association with domestic dumping.

(II) Contemporary with B53. In stratigraphic order from top to bottom, this phase contains units 11379, 11397, 12500, and 12501. All these unit layers have the same formation process as the Post Building 53 phase. They are, however, seen to abut the wall F1523, of the B53, so the layers are likely to be contemporary with B53 activity. It is difficult to say, how many buildings were using the midden for dumping during this time, but it is likely that a good proportion of this material originated from B53 activity. Unit 11379 is of particular interest, containing two animal bone clusters 11392, and 11393. The clusters appear to have been deposited synchronously and may represent activity of special significance (cf., animal archive report 2005). Stratigraphically, they are held within the last unit layer to have formed before the closure/demolition of B53. It is tempting to draw a link between the two episodes.

(III) Construction of B53. This phase contains a pit cut F1531 and a cut 14321 mainly for the wall F1523, but also for F1533 (3 extant bricks only. Now removed). Both features cut through layer 12502, the last layer seen to have formed before B53 was constructed.

Wall cut 14321. At the end of the 2006 season the wall was not released on its west side. On the east side of the wall a cut has been tentatively identified. Not including the unit layers associated with walls F1523 and F1533 (which technically belong in the cut), the cut contains unit layers 14322, 12552, 12525, and 12521. These layers appear to have functioned in the following way:

(1) 14322, may have acted as the initial foundation layer. This layer goes under the walls. (2) 12552, acting as further foundation material and also backfill. This layer was seen to go under and also against the outer part of the wall F1523. (3) Further backfill with layers (12521) and (12525). Both of these layers were seen to be above the last course of both F1523 and F1533.

It should be noted though, that removal of wall F1523 and further excavation under the wall is needed to clarify the certainty of the cut area and the subsequence sequence of events that appear to follow.

Pit F1531. The pit is located in the far northeast corner of Space 261. Its full extent is not known due to the limits of excavation here. The pit was excavated in broad stratagraphic layers. This approach was dictated by the extreme lensing of the midden material in the pit. Despite this though, a likely sequence for the pit could be determined. From earliest to latest this sequence is as follows.

(1) Cut 12518. Construction/excavation of the pit. Why was it cut? Two functions are suggested here for the pit, a primary quarry function and a secondary midden function.

Quarry function. This is suggested here as the pit’s primary function, because of its location. It cuts through an area of midden containing old bricks, natural sediments, bone, ash, charcoal, and obsidian. This type of compound layered material is often evident in the matrix of the bricks and mortar used for walls, which suggests that the material recovered from the pits excavation could also have been used in this way. If this was the case, this essentially gives the pit a construction function.

Midden function. This is discounted here as the primary function of the pit, as it seems unlikely that an established in use area of midden, was cut into to dig a pit for the purpose of dumping more midden. It is clear, however, by the layers that formed in the pit, subsequent to its cut, that the pit had a secondary function for dumping midden into.

(2) Layer 12514. This layer was incompletely excavated due to its continuation below 1.2m against the baulk section. Formation of the layer is probably in part, a result of feature side and ground surface erosion. This is suggested by the broken brick material, which is visible in the west facing section. A similar type of material is evident in the north and northwest sides of pit, probably acting as the redeposited source material for some of this layer. In general, this layer has an unsettled appearance to it, suggesting some uncontrolled deposition.

(3) Layer 12558. This layer contains a very high quantity of thin ashy lenses. Some rubble brick material can also be seen in the layer suggesting some continued instability of the surrounding space. The tight banding of ash and charcoal lenses, however, suggest the material is being anthropogenically deposited.

(4) Layer 12511. A very homogenous layer, which appears isolated to the north area of the pit. The homogeneity of the layer suggests a slump of some sort or a large dump, probably relating to a single episode of formation activity The layer bears some similarities to floor construction material. If so, it may be excess construction material being dumped. The layer splits 12558 and 12504.

(5) Layer 12504. This is the continuation of 12558. In this part of the layer the charcoal and ash lenses are very tight and clear. The source of the material may be from hearth and/or oven rake-out cleaning and then dumping. This layer was prioritised with this question in mind. It was hoped especially that the analysis of the obsidian from the heavy residue would point to something, as pressure flaking debitarge can show up in hearth/oven rake-out waste. No conclusive answer was, however evident. It is hoped though that further post excavation analysis of samples taken will add to the interpretation and clarify the source material for this layer’s formation.

(6) Layer 12529. An earthy layer containing animal bone in high quantity. May have once spread out beyond the cut of the pit. Similar areas were noticed with excavation of 12502, and it seems quite likely that some of 12502 would have eroded into the pit. The layer has a tertiary like look to it, but the animal bone quantity suggests the pit was probably still in use as a visible and utilised feature.

(7) Layer (12501). Similar to 12529.

In summary, there are two features discussed in this section, a wall cut, and a pit cut. Both can be argued to have a building construction function. The wall cut, to set the foundation for building of B59 and the pit to supply material for brick and mortar construction. As mentioned above, both features cut layer 12502, the last layer seen to have formed before the building of B53. Both features are then straitigraphically in phase with each other. This raises the question as to whether or not they were related activities. At this stage this question is difficult to answer. It may however be possible in the future to get closer to an answer when compositional analysis of both the midden material and the bricks and mortar is completed. If a direct link could be established by similarities in material, then the pit’s function becomes integrally caught up with the construction of B53.

(IV) Pre Building 53. This phase contains midden layers 12502, 12508, 12519, 12524, 12526, 12532, 12539, 12540, 12549, and 12553. This section of the midden can be divided into 4 groups (A-D).

Group A. Layers 12502, and 12508, have a similar appearance to each other. Both are compound layers, containing lenses of ash and charcoal mixed with natural sediments. Formation of the layers then seems likely to be from a mix of intentional dumping in association with natural silting events. The natural silting may indicate that the midden was used sporadically, and/or that there was some unstable material nearby eroding into the space. If there is a visible difference between the 2 layers, it is that towards the middle to lower part of 12508, ash and charcoal lenses become more numerous.

Group B. Layers, 12519, 12524, and 12526, can also be defined as a broad group. They are also compound layers, but they all contain a much higher element of ash and charcoal lensing. The concentration of pure midden waste, is therefore much higher than 12502 and 12508. The ash and charcoal seems likely to be derived from hearth and oven clean out associated with domestic activities.

Layer 12524 deserves some special mention. Along with the compound layer material, this layer contains (not fully excavated) at least two sequences of alternating charcoal and a lime like lenses. The lime lenses reach a maximum thickness of 50cm and the charcoal, a max thickness of 25cm. There is some suggestion that these lenses have formed insitu, as a reddish, scorched like surface is visable beneath the lower lense of charcoal. The significane of these lenses is not yet known, as excavation of this area had to be put on hold and will now continue next season. Various samples, though, of the lenses have been taken for analysis, with the results not yet finalised. There is, however, some suggestion, that the lenses represent insitu lime burning events with the aim to create material for the plastering of the walls, platforms, bins etc., for the buildings.

Group C. This section of the midden contains layers 12532, 12539, and 12540. Layers 12532 and 12540, are made up from the dumping of a burnt demolished building. Both layers contain high quantities of burnt bricks and burnt plaster. Layer 12539, splits layers 12532 and 12540, as it did not contain the element of burnt bricks and plaster that 12532 and 12540 have. However, it appears that all layers belonged to the same activity associated with dumping of demolished material.

Group D. Two unrelated layers make up this group, 12539 and 12553. They lay under 12540 but are physically separated from each other. Layer 12539, contained compound midden material, as well as some burnt building material, and layer 12553, was a thin layer of charcoal. The charcoal layer is interesting as it separates 12540, from another episode of burnt building material. Laying physically under 12539 also is further burnt building material. Excavation for the 2006 season had to finish at this point, but the question for next season here will be to determine why this burnt demolished building material is stratigraphically separated. It could be that there is more than one event of burnt building clearance, or it could simply be that the midden had undergone extensive post depositional changes, obscuring relationships and in turn making interpretation difficult.

FINDS RECOVERED FROM MIDDEN IN SPACE 261

Finds recovered from the midden area included: Domestic waste material, such as, pottery fragments, stone, animal bone, and obsidian waste. Personal and utilitarian objects, included; beads (made from stone, bone, clay and shell), clay balls (small and large), clay figurines (zoomorphic and humanoid), a greenstone axe fragment, horn core fragment, worked bone points, and worked obsidian blades and flakes and projectile points. Two pigment stones were also recovered, adding an esoteric element to finds from this space (DB)