University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation 2003 Neolithic Plasters of the Near East: Catal Hoyuk Building 5, a Case Study Burcum Hanzade Arkun University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses Part of the Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons Arkun, Burcum Hanzade, "Neolithic Plasters of the Near East: Catal Hoyuk Building 5, a Case Study" (2003). Theses (Historic Preservation). 326. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/326 Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: Arkun, Burcum Hanzade (2003). Neolithic Plasters of the Near East: Catal Hoyuk Building 5, a Case Study. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/326 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Neolithic Plasters of the Near East: Catal Hoyuk Building 5, a Case Study Disciplines Historic Preservation and Conservation Comments Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: Arkun, Burcum Hanzade (2003). Neolithic Plasters of the Near East: Catal Hoyuk Building 5, a Case Study. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/326 UNivERsmry PENN5YL\^\NIA. UBRAKIE5 ! NEOLITHIC PLASTERS OF THE NEAR EAST: CATAL HOYUK BUILDING 5, A CASE STUDY Burcum Hanzade Arkun A THESIS in Historic Preservation Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE 2003 V\MIax) Reader Susanna C. Fourie KVJXaa5 Graduate Group Chair ink G.jVlatero Associate Professor of Architecture Vv^(L ^^\s /ma /o^ /^^/ai 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I w ould like to give thanks to my advisor. Professor Frank Matero, and to my reader, Rynta Fourie, for their encouragement and advisement throughout the process of this research and for allowing me to explore a topic that related to my cultural background. 1 greatly appreciate the opportunity to have been able to work with such mentors. I would also like to thank Suzanne Hyndman for always having a smile and an answer to my questions. And to Ben, for his constant support and humor tlirough it all. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures vi Chapter One: Introduction 1. Introduction 1 1 . The Neolithic Near East 4 1 .2 The Konya Plain 6 1.3 Soil Micromorphology 8 1.3.1 Marl Soils 8 1.3.2 Soft Lime Soils 9 1.3.3 Ridge Soils 9 1.3.4 Sand Plain Soils 9 Chapter Two: Plasters and Plaster Production in the Neolithic Near East 2. Neolithic Plasters 13 2.1 Plaster Tvpology 14 2.1.1 Earthen Plasters 15 2. 1 .2 Gypsum Plasters 15 2.1.3 Lime Plasters 16 2.2 Sites of the Neolithic Near East 18 2.3 Plaster Production in Neolithic Sites 19 Chapter Three: Plasters at Catal Hoyiik 3. The Site of (^atal Hoyuk 24 3.1 The Architecture of Qatal H6>'uk 25 3.2 Plasters at Catal Hoyiik 29 3.3 Plaster Production at Qatal Hoyiik 32 Chapter Four: Excavations at (|^atal Hoyiik 4. Excavations of the Eastern Mound 38 4.1 Building Plasters 39 4.2 Building 5 Spatial Analysis 41 4.2.1 Building 5; Space 154 42 4.2.2 Building 5; Space 155 45 4.2.3 Building 5; Space 156 46 4.2.4 Building 5; Space 1 57 46 Chapter Five: Characterization and Analysis of ^atal Hoyiik Plasters 5. Plaster Characterization and Analysis 49 5.1 Previous Characterization and Analysis 49 5.2 Plaster Characterization and Analysis of Building 5 Plasters 51 5.2.1 Sample 3837 53 5.2.2 Samples 3839.1 and 3839.2 53 5.2.3 Samples 3862 and 3868 54 Chapter Six: Conclusions and Recommendations for Further Research 6. Conclusions 61 6.1 Recommendations for Further Research 64 Bibliography 65 Appendices Appendix A: Inventory of Architectural Samples in the Architectural Conservation Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania 70 Appendix B: Neolithic Sites in the Near and Middle East 73 Appendix C: Plasters and Plaster Analyses from Building 1 and Building 5 Qatai Hoyuk 79 Appendix D: Sample Descriptions 87 Index 91 1 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Aerial view over Easter Mound of Qatal Hoyiik 11 Figure 2 Plaster relief on wall surface of two leopards 1 Figure 3 Wall painting showing dancing man 12 Figure 4 Map of Neolithic sites in the Near and Middle East 12 Figures Map of Neolithic sites in the Near and Middle East 23 Figure 6 Map of Neolithic Sites in the Near and Middle East 23 Figure 7 Map showing topography and excavated sites at (^atal Hoyiik East 36 Figures Building levels of (^atal Hoyiik 36 Figure 9 Artist's rendering of buildings at (^atal Hoyiik 37 Figure 10 Map of Neolithic sites in the Near and Middle East 37 Figure 11 Building 5 base plan 48 Figure 12 3-D rendering of Building 5 48 Figure 13 Building 5 base plan showing sample locations 57 Figure 14 3-D rendering of Building 5 showing interior spaces 57 Figure 15 Elevation showing location of Sample 3837 58 Figure 16 Photomicrograph of Sample 3837 58 Figure// Elevation showing location of Sample 3839 59 Figure 18 Photomicrograph of Sample 3839.1 59 Figure 19 Photomicrograph of Sample 3839.2 59 Figure 20 Elevation showing location of Sample 3862 60 Figure 21 Elevation showing location of Sample 3868 60 Chapter 1 : Introduction Chapter 1: Introduction Located in modern day Turkey in central Anatolia, the site of (^atal Hoyiik is the earliest and largest known Neolithic settlement discovered to date. The site consists of two earthen mounds and spans an area of 32 acres across the Konya Plain (Figure 1 ). An advanced civilization with evidence of one of the earliest forms of organized religion; the people of (^atal Hoyuk expressed their beliefs and values through their art: colorful wall paintings, molded plaster reliefs, and cut-out designs on plastered surfaces. The paintings and reliefs rank among the most important example of artistic expression found to date for the Neolithic period of the Near East. The complexity of the art and architectural achievements of (^"atal Hoyiik has been of interest to many focus groups, from ethnoarchaeologists interested in the central role that women played within this ancient society, to art historians interpreting the religious meanings of the wall paintings. Ihe structures of (^atal Hoyiik are in a remarkable state of preservation; the architecture and artifacts provide an unusually detailed account of life in the Anatolian Plateau in the seventh and early sixth centuries BP. (^atal Hoyiik yields rich evidence of a complex society, with an estimate of 4,000 inhabitants at its peak. The inhabitants were highly advanced in craft production, such as weaving, woodworking, metallurgy and obsidian working.' The discoveries made during the excavations at Qatal Hoyiik have given insight on an aceramic Neolithic culture - a culture characterized by the use of baskets and Mellaart, James. (Jalal Hinuk A Neolithic Fown in Anatolia. (New York: McGraw Hill Book Company, 1967), 22 1 Chapter 1 : Introduction wooden vessels instead o{' pollen . and which evolved into a ceramic cuUure that look advantage of the discovery and uses of pyrotechnology. Through advancements in pyrotechnology. the inhabitants of these NeoHthic settlements created structures with plaster floors and plaster washed walls and ceilings as well as allowing for the use of " plaster in the form of plaster moldings and reliefs. In a period which had been previously considered inartistic, (j'atal Hoyiik proved to be a center of art in the Neolithic Near East. The wall paintings at (^atal Hoyuk are one of the earliest examples found to exist on man-made walls. The first wall paintings were discovered in the east mound during the first field season in 1961. Wall paintings were in-situ, and are believed to have existed as early as Building Level X, dating to 6500BC,'* Paintings found at the site depict a variety of forms ranging from the geometric to the silhouettes of human and animal figures." Many of the buildings' interiors were also decorated with plaster reliefs, which had either been molded directly onto the walls or incised into the wall plaster when in place where the plaster was thick enough. These reliefs and cutout figures occur in conjunction with the wall paintings and other features.'' The plaster reliefs, like the wall paintings, were frequently replastered and redecorated (Figures 2 and 3).'' A wide range of colors was used for these paintings and reliefs, from reds and oranges to blues and greens. These colors were derived from mineral materials found in " Rollefson, Gary. The Uses of Plaster at Neolithic 'Ain Ghazai, Jordan. ( 4rchaeomalenals 4, 1990). 33. ' Ibid., 1 ' Mellaart, James, (,'cilal Hiivuk. A Neolithic Town in inatolia. (New York: McGraw Hill Book Company, 1967), 52. ^ Ibid., 57. ''Ibid., 61. 'Ibid., 51. Chapter I : Introduction the Anatolian Plateau, such as ochre, azurite. malachite, and cinnabar. Paint was applied directly to the wall surface, which was prepared with a layer of white plaster. It is assumed that the walls were plastered tor functional and ritualistic purposes, possibly annually, for events such as a birth or death of a family member. On some walls, there are up to one hundred layers of plaster covering one or more wall paintings. If the hypothesis that surfaces were plastered annually is considered, then the number of plaster layers on a surface could attest to the relative age of a building.