Examining the colored skeletons of Çatalhöyük

The inhabitants of the oldest city in the world, in Turkey, buried their dead in new ways. Their bones were excavated and reburied. The findings show the burial rituals of a fascinating society that lived 9000 years ago.

One of the most important archeological sites in the Near East is located in Central Anatolia, Turkey. This Neolithic settlement, known as the world's oldest city, features densely aggregated mudbrick buildings. There are archeological traces of ritual activities in the houses, including burials with traces of colorants and wall paintings.

Many past and present human societies have documented the association between the use of colorants and symbolic activities. In the 9th and 8th millennium BC, the use of pigments in architectural and funerary contexts became more frequent. Near Eastern archeological sites dating back to the Neolithic have returned a large body of evidence. Secondary funerary treatments, as well as the use of pigments in both architectural spaces and funerary contexts, are included.

The first analysis of the use of pigments in funerary and architectural contexts from this important Neolithic site was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. The results of the study reveal exciting insights about the association between the use of colorants, funerary rituals and living spaces in this fascinating society.

A time travel into a world of dead people.

Marco was part of the team that excavated and studied the remains. His work involves making skeletons that speak. At the Department of Physical Anthropology, the age and sex are established, violent injuries are investigated, and puzzles are solved.

Some adults of both sexes and children were most likely to be present with red and cinnabar. The number of burials in a building is related to the number of subsequent layers of architectural paintings. The association between funerary deposition and application of colorants in the domestic space is suggested by this. Some individuals stayed in the community and their bones were retrieved and kept for a while. The second burial of bones was accompanied by wall paintings.

There are Neolithic mysteries.

Only a few individuals were buried with colorants, and some of them remained in the community with their bones. The criteria guiding the selection of these individuals escape our understanding, which makes these findings even more interesting. The selection was not related to age or sex. It is clear that visual expression, ritual performance and symbolic associations were part of the long-term socio-cultural practices of this Neolithic society.

More information: E. M. J. Schotsmans et al, New insights on commemoration of the dead through mortuary and architectural use of pigments at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey, Scientific Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07284-3 Journal information: Scientific Reports Citation: Examining the colored skeletons of Çatalhöyük (2022, March 18) retrieved 18 March 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-03-skeletons-atalhyk.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.