The evaluation of Konya, Çatalhöyük world heritage area in the frame of landscape archeology

Abstract

The development of a research methodology that centers on human interaction with the natural environment distinguishes landscape archaeology from other fields within archaeology. Landscape archaeology investigates not only how humans consciously and unconsciously shape their living spaces but also how they construct and organize their surroundings from the earliest identified human traces on Earth to the present day. In this research, the focus is on Çatalhöyük, a Neolitich settlement in Konya, Anatolia, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012 due to its universal significance. Çatalhöyük provides insights into the social organization, culture, earliest agricultural activities, and transitions to settled urban life of prehistoric societies. The study evaluates Çatalhöyük within the framework of landscape archaeology, incorporating archaeological research data accumulated to date, as well as findings from studies, analyses, and surveys conducted in the area. Additionally, the research employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for analysis purposes.