ABSTRACT
The Neolithic site of Catalhoyuk in central Anatolia with its well-preserved architecture, dramatic wall paintings, and reliefs has been the heart of discussions of prehistoric lifeways for a few decades. This chapter argues that a key to make architecture speak is to describe it temporally, spatially, and socially across traditionally separate fields, specifically architecture, archaeology, soil science, and geology. It presents few case studies to illustrate life cycles of buildings at Catalhoyuk. The case studies are representative of different excavation areas and different occupational phases of the Neolithic settlement. They provide evidence of mainly abandonment and foundation deposits, in which aurochs and cervids play the most important role. The chapter highlights the role of inherited and nurtured Neolithic traditions with regard to all phases of buildings' life cycles. It forms a revised approach to research, in which buildings and open spaces functioned in a number of independent, but simultaneously interactive ways.
