Fodor's Expert Review Çatalhöyük Archaeological Site

The significance of this Neolithic archaeological site lies not just in its age but in the wealth of well-preserved art and artifacts found here, as these shed light on humankind's transition to a sedentary, agricultural lifestyle. Thought to have been home to as many as 8,000 people at a time, Çatalhöyük was inhabited for more than 1,200 years, beginning in about 7,400 BC, with successive generations of residents erecting new mud-brick houses atop the old ones. The name Çatalhöyük actually means "forked mound," likely a reference to the two distinctive mounds—up to 69 feet high and separated by an indentation—which you can clearly see as you approach the site. Major excavations ended in early 2018, with minor excavations ongoing, but only a tiny fraction of the site has yet been excavated.