Chatalhoyuk (means 'forked mound' in Turkish and refers to the site's east and west mounds) is located in south-central Turkey. The settlement was built 10,000 years ago on alluvial clay of a channel of the Carsamba river once flowed between the two mounds. It is one of the largest and best-preserved Neolithic sites found to date
Catalhoyuk is considered a major turning point in the development of civilization from nomadic life toward permanent communities. At a time when most of the world's people were nomadic hunter-gatherers, Çatalhöyük was a bustling village or a town of as many as 10,000 people. Archaeologist believe that it covered an area of the size of 50 soccer fields.
The settlement had no streets ; the houses were built right up against each other in a honeycomb-like maze. Access to interior spaces was across roofs, which were reached by interior and exterior ladders. The ceiling openings also served as the only source of ventilation, letting in fresh air and allowing smoke from open hearths and ovens to escape. Each house usually contained three rooms. The main rooms served as an area for cooking and daily activities. Raised platforms built along the walls of the main rooms were used for sitting, working, and sleeping. Additional rooms were used as storage. All rooms were kept scrupulously clean. Archaeologists identified very little trash or rubbish within the buildings but found that trash heaps outside the ruins contain sewage and food waste as well as significant amounts of wood ash. In good weather, many daily activities may also have taken place on the rooftops.

Catalhoyuk is extremely important to the beginning of art, both painting and sculpture which are everywhere among the remains. Nearly every house excavated at Catalhoyuk was found to contain decorations on its interior and exterior walls. The surfaces of many houses are covered on walls with vivid murals and figurines. A wall map of the village is currently recognized as the world's oldest map. Predominant images include repeated lozenges and zigzags, groups of men in hunting scenes, and images of the now extinct aurochs and stags, and vultures swooping down on headless people. Heads of bulls and other animals were often mounted on walls. In addition, plenty of distinctive clay figurines of women have been found.
The volume and variety of art at Çatalhöyük is immense and must be understood as a vital, functional part of the everyday lives of its inhabitants.

The deceased were placed under the floors or platforms in houses and sometimes the skulls were removed and plastered to resemble live faces. The burials at Catalhoyuk show no significant variations, either based on wealth or gender; the only bodies which were treated differently, decorated with beads and covered with ochre, were those of children.

The people of Catalhoyuk appear to have lived relatively egalitarian lives with no apparent social classes, and no signs of division of labour, and no houses with distinctive features (belonging to kings or priests, for example) have been found so far. The most recent investigations also reveal that both men and women receiving equivalent nutrition and apparently having relatively equal social status.

The residents cultivated wheat and barley, as well as lentils, peas, bitter vetch, and other legumes. They herded sheep and goats and evidence suggests the beginning of cattle domestication as well. The making of pottery and the construction of obsidian tools were major industries. Obsidian tools were probably both used and traded for items such as Mediterranean sea shells and flint from Syria.

Catalhoyuk was occupied for about 1,700 years and abandoned around 5,000 BC. Nobody knows why. It was forgotten for thousands of years until it was rediscovered by James Melaart in 1958. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage listed site and has attracted thousands of academics from more than twenty countries to its archaeological works. Each season a new archaeological project has been taking place and surprising new discoveries continue to be made every year.