House Symbolism and Ancestor Cult in the Central Anatolian Neolithic
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives House Symbolism and Ancestor Cult in the Central Anatolian Neolithic Christopher Fredrik Kvæstad M.A. thesis in Archaeology Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion University of Bergen November 2010 To Bergljot 2 Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 4 List of maps, tables, plates, and figures................................................................................................... 6 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Chapter I: Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 9 § 1.1 – Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 9 § 1.2 – Space and time....................................................................................................................... 11 § 1.3 – Structure of the thesis ............................................................................................................ 12 Chapter II: Problem formulations and research methods ...................................................................... 14 § 2.1 – Problem formulations ............................................................................................................ 14 § 2.2 – Research methods .................................................................................................................. 14 Chapter III: Pervious studies and research ............................................................................................ 17 Chapter IV: Theory of the House and Ancestor Cult ............................................................................ 21 § 4.1 – Defining ‗house‘ .................................................................................................................... 21 § 4.2 – The house and the body ......................................................................................................... 23 § 4.3 – Habitus .................................................................................................................................. 25 § 4.4 – Transpatial solidarity ............................................................................................................. 25 § 4.5 – Houses as people ................................................................................................................... 26 § 4.6 – The ambiguity of food ........................................................................................................... 27 § 4.7 – The house as an axis mundi ................................................................................................... 28 § 4.8 – Social implication of death .................................................................................................... 29 § 4.9 – Rites of passage ..................................................................................................................... 29 § 4.10 – The ‗good‘ and ‗bad‘ death ................................................................................................. 31 § 4.11 – The dichotomy of death ....................................................................................................... 32 § 4.12 – Individuality and its problems ............................................................................................. 33 § 4.13 – The symbolism of the human body ..................................................................................... 34 § 4.14 – Material culture and ritual ................................................................................................... 34 § 4.15 – Moving on to the archaeological material ........................................................................... 35 Chapter V: Material remains from Aşıklı Höyük and Çatalhöyük ........................................................ 36 § 5.1 – Aşıklı Höyük and Çatalhöyük in a Levantine context ........................................................... 36 § 5.2 – Aşıklı Höyük ......................................................................................................................... 41 § 5.2.1 – Site history: ..................................................................................................................... 41 § 5.2.2 – Dates ............................................................................................................................... 42 § 5.2.3 – Burial customs ................................................................................................................ 42 § 5.2.4 – Hearths............................................................................................................................ 44 § 5.2.5 – Structures ........................................................................................................................ 46 3 § 5.2.6 – Other material ................................................................................................................. 50 § 5.3 – Çatalhöyük ............................................................................................................................ 50 § 5.3.1 – Site history ...................................................................................................................... 51 § 5.3.2 – Dates ............................................................................................................................... 53 § 5.3.3 – Burial customs ................................................................................................................ 54 § 5.3.4 – Hearths and Ovens .......................................................................................................... 59 § 5.3.5 – Structures ........................................................................................................................ 60 § 5.3.6 – Building 80 ..................................................................................................................... 63 § 5.3.7 – Paintings ......................................................................................................................... 65 § 5.3.8 – Moulded features ............................................................................................................ 68 Chapter VI: Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 72 § 6.1 – The house .............................................................................................................................. 72 § 6.1.1 – Aşıklı Höyük .................................................................................................................. 74 § 6.1.2 – Çatalhöyük ...................................................................................................................... 77 § 6.2 – Ancestor cult.......................................................................................................................... 79 § 6.2.1 – Aşıklı Höyük .................................................................................................................. 79 § 6.2.2 – Çatalhöyük ...................................................................................................................... 80 § 6.3 – The hearth .............................................................................................................................. 82 § 6.3.1 – Aşıklı Höyük .................................................................................................................. 83 § 6.3.2 – Çatalhöyük ...................................................................................................................... 83 Chapter VII: Concluding remarks ......................................................................................................... 85 Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 87 Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 88 Acknowledgements 4 The Neolithic of Central Anatolia has fascinated me since the first time I got introduced to it at the beginning of my bachelor programme. I have since taken the journey to Turkey two times; visiting both Çatalhöyük and Aşıklı Höyük. Much can be said about Central Anatolia, but the stunning beauty of the landscape and the friendliness of the people have undoubtedly contributed to make this a unique experience. First of all I want to give my outmost gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Dr. Randi Haaland, for being both supportive and an almost endless source of knowledge. Even with a broken arm and you still had the time and energy to invite me to your home to give me constructive advice in time of need. Many thanks goes to the people working on the Çatalhöyük Research Project, especially Dorthe Nistad, who so kindly introduced me to several team members and showed me around at the site, and Roddy Regan, who gave me a comprehensive