The Towns of Jericho and Catal Huyuk and Early Neolithic Societies of Southwest Asia

             The towns of Jericho and Catal Huyuk were atypical of the early neolithic societies of Southwest Asia. In Jericho, there was social ranking, which was atypical of the early neolithic societies in southwest Asia. Some human interments from Jericho have been discovered to have exotic raw materials like Turkish Obsidian and cowrie shells, while others lacked (Rosenberg and Rocek, 2019). The method of food procurement in Catal Huyuk sets it apart from the early neolithic societies. Archeologists ascertain that they acquired food from the wild (Rosenberg and Rocek, 2019). They include assorted wild grass, tubers, lentils, and hackberries. Therefore, social ranking and food procurement of food from the wild explain why Jericho and Catal Huyuk were atypical of early neolithic societies in Southwest Asia.                

Communal working and coordination are social aspects evident in Jericho and Catal Huyuk. At the different sites, there are massive constructions that indicate needed labor. These include the massive stone wall built around Jericho and the massive residential building in Catal Huyuk (Rosenberg and Rocek, 2019). People in society came together to bring about these constructions to completion. Therefore, a sense of togetherness and familial existence is a common social aspect in Jericho and Catal Huyuk.             

The biggest challenge of living in Catal Huyuk would be when accessing food. The archeologist suggests that Catal Huyuk was a massive village where individuals preferred meals from the wild. Hence, stalking and hunting are general practices for residents of Catal Huyuk. It may be difficult for me to go out into the wild in search of a meal. Therefore, exploring the wild for food would be the difficult part of staying in Catal Huyuk.  

References

Rosenberg, M., & Rocek, T. R. (2019). Socio-political organization in the Aceramic Neolithic of southwestern Asia: The complex evolution of socio-political complexity. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 54, 17-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaa.2019.01.006