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Photo: The Reclining Man from Çatalhöyük

Archaeologists have found a stone figurine of a reclining man at Çatalhöyük, a major archaeological site in Turkey. The following news report appeared in the Guardian:

A reclining man with a bushy beard and big nose is the latest to join a haul of stone figurines unearthed at the ancient site of Çatalhöyük in Turkey. The sculpture, which measures around six inches high, was uncovered at the neolithic site last week.

Çatalhöyük was the final resting place of some of the world’s first farmers. Other figurines representing farmyard animals and people in sitting and standing positions have already been excavated at the site, which dates back to the dawn of farming some 9,000 years ago.

Archaeologists working on the site have discovered primitive houses with rooms decorated with vulture skulls, wild boar tusks and teeth from weasels and foxes. Some of the buildings are believed to have humans buried beneath them.

The discovery of female figurines at Çatalhöyük has led anthropologists to speculate that the community worshipped “mother goddesses”.

Death and violence feature prominently in the sculptures, with some missing heads and others with exposed ribs, hip bones and pelvises.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Archaeology, Çatalhöyük, Reclining Man

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