Religion in the Emergence of Civilization: Çatalhöyük as a Case StudyIan Hodder Cambridge University Press, 2010 M08 30 This book presents an interdisciplinary study of the role of spirituality and religious ritual in the emergence of complex societies. Involving an eminent group of natural scientists, archaeologists, anthropologists, philosophers, and theologians, this volume examines Çatalhöyük as a case study. A nine-thousand-year old town in central Turkey, Çatalhöyük was first excavated in the 1960s and has since become integral to understanding the symbolic and ritual worlds of the early farmers and village-dwellers in the Middle East. It is thus an ideal location for exploring theories about the role of religion in early settled life. This book provides a unique overview of current debates concerning religion and its historical variations. Through exploration of themes including the integration of the spiritual and the material, the role of belief in religion, the cognitive bases for religion, and religion's social roles, this book situates the results from Çatalhöyük within a broader understanding of the Neolithic in the Middle East. |
Contents
| 1 | |
The symbolism of Catalhoyuk in its regional context | 32 |
Transforming religious symbols | 73 |
Epistemic limitations | 99 |
Modes of religiosity at Catalhoyuk | 122 |
Is there religion at Catalhoyuk or are there just houses? | 146 |
A new interpretation of architectural | 163 |
Common terms and phrases
9th millennium BC agency Ain Ghazal Anatolia ancestors animal bone Ankara Ankara Monograph Anthropology antler Archaeological Archaeological Research argued articulation artifacts associated bucrania buildings bull horns burials C¸atalh¨oy¨uk C¸atalh¨oy¨uk Research Project Cambridge cattle central Cessford Chapter context cosmology cultural D¨uring defined definition deposits difficult doctrinal mode domestic elaboration emergence Epipalaeolithic evidence example excavated feasting fields figures figurines find first flesh floors focus forms G¨obekli G¨obekli Tepe history houses Hodder Holocene human hunting Ian Hodder imagery imagistic Institute for Archaeological interpretation Keane magic main room marked markedness McDonald Institute Mellaart memory Meskell Middle East Mithen modes of religiosity Mound Neolithic obsidian paintings pattern Pels people’s plastered platform possible PPNB practices Pre-Pottery Neolithic prehistoric prehistoric religion reflection relation relationship religion religious symbols ritual role seems semiotic sense sequence settlement significance skulls social specific spiritual stone suggest theory things transcendent transcendental upper levels Upper Palaeolithic walls Whitehouse wild animals