Archaeologists find ancient matrilineal society in Turkiye’s Catalhoyuk
Summary
Archaeologists studied the ancient settlement of Catalhoyuk in Turkiye and found evidence it had a matrilineal society, meaning family lines were traced through mothers. Women mostly stayed in their homes, while men often moved away when grown, which is different from many other Neolithic European communities.Key Facts
- Catalhoyuk was occupied from about 7000 to 6000 BC and is located southeast of Konya, Turkiye.
- It had closely packed houses with no streets; people likely moved across rooftops and entered homes through ceiling hatches.
- The settlement had no clear signs of rulers or wealthy individuals, but some buildings were decorated with wall paintings and bull’s horns.
- Many people were buried beneath the floors of their homes, with some houses having more burials than others.
- A genomics study of 395 skeletons showed most relatives were connected through maternal lines.
- Women usually stayed in their birth homes, while men moved away after reaching adulthood.
- Catalhoyuk may be the world’s first city with complex social structures and long-term agricultural living.
- The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has two main mounds formed by generations building on top of older structures.
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