Bodies in buildings: Human remains and the life histories of houses at Neolithic Çatalhöyük

Abstract

At Neolithic Çatalhöyük (7100–6000 cal BCE), where evidence of monumental architecture and large communal spaces and structures is lacking, the house served as the focal point not only for domestic activities such as food processing and storage, but also for cyclical and periodic ritual activity including layered wall paintings, animal installations and burials. Human remains, in both primary and secondary burial contexts, are commonly found beneath the floors and platforms of houses. While intramural burials elsewhere in southwest Asia often took place in abandoned structures, most inhumations at Çatalhöyük occurred during the occupation phase of houses. The close association between human remains and the built environment can be seen in the way that bodies -whole or in part- were embedded in the fabric of houses to mark important architectural milestones. In this way, the construction, occupation, adornment, transformation and eventual abandonment of houses reflect and are entangled with the lives of the individuals buried within them. Using examples from the site, this paper presents and discusses the ways in which the “life histories” of houses are connected with the remains of individuals to form shared biographies.