Interpreting Catalhoyuk

Description

The Neolithic site of Catalhoyuk, in central Turkey, has been captivating the imaginations of archaeologists for over 60 years. It’s unusual location, complex architectural sequences, and mysterious decorations have inspired all sorts of interpretations about what life was like when the site was occupied around 9,000 years ago. Among these archaeologists were Marija Gimbutas, who you learned about in this week’s film, Signs Out of Time. Using the attached lecture as a guide, your task is to outline how archaeologists adhering to several different theoretical perspectives might approach Catalhoyuk’s excavation and interpretation. What kinds of research questions would they ask, what kinds of data would they seek, and what kinds of interpretations would be likely to result? Specifically, outline the perspectives of a Marxist Archaeologist, a Gender Archaeologist, a Culture Historian, and a Cultural Ecologist. You can use definitions for these terms from the textbook to get started, but you’ll need to draw on other sources as well for both the theoretical perspectives and addiitonal information about Catalhoyuk. Please be sure to cite your sources, including page numbers where relevant. Be as specific as you can, differentiating what each interpretive perspective will highlight about life at Catalhoyuk in the past. Finish your analysis with a discussion of which perspective you think would be the most useful or appropriate. Write up your appraisal in 2 pages (Times, 12 point, double-spaced).