Catalhoyuk, located in southern Anatolia, is the oldest village in the world, dating back to 7500 BC to 6400 BC
Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was a huge Neolithic and Chalcolithic proto-city settlement
James Mellaart, who first excavated the site in 1958, revealed 18 layers of buildings representing various periods of human settlement, while Ian Hodder continued excavations from 1993 to 2018
The settlement had an average populationof 5,000 to 7,000, with houses close together, accessed by ladders and stairs instead of streets
Catalhoyuk's society was possibly egalitarian, with men and women enjoying almost equal social status
Agriculture and domestication of animals, including cereals like wheat and barley, were the main sources of livelihood
The village's unique feature was the use of rooftops as streets, fostering close-knit communities for help, trade, and marriage alliances
Intriguing murals and artifacts, such as the Seated Woman of Catalhoyuk, were discovered, with one painting potentially being the world's oldest map
The society practiced clean living, burying the dead within the village, and exhibited signs of religious artifacts, particularly female figurines
The religious practices of Catalhoyuk remain uncertain, with excavated female figurines suggesting a potential dominance of female deities