Female lineages and changing kinship patterns in Neolithic Çatalhöyük

Yüncü E., Doğu A. K., Kaptan D., Kılıç M. S., Mazzucato C., Güler M. N., ...More

SCIENCE, vol.388, no.6754, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 388 Issue: 6754
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1126/science.adr2915
  • Journal Name: SCIENCE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Animal Behavior Abstracts, Applied Science & Technology Source, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Artic & Antarctic Regions, ATLA Religion Database, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts Core, Communication Abstracts, Computer & Applied Sciences, EBSCO Education Source, Environment Index, Gender Studies Database, Geobase, Linguistic Bibliography, MEDLINE, Metadex, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Pollution Abstracts, Psycinfo, Veterinary Science Database, zbMATH, DIALNET, Civil Engineering Abstracts, Nature Index
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Combining 131 paleogenomes with bioarchaeological and archaeological data, we studied social organization and gendered practices in & Ccedil;atalh & ouml;y & uuml;k East Mound (7100 to 5950 BCE), a major Neolithic settlement in Central Anatolia. In early & Ccedil;atalh & ouml;y & uuml;k, burials in the same building were frequently close genetic relatives, suggesting that houses were used by biological family members. In later periods, however, individuals buried in the same building were often genetically unrelated, despite sharing similar diets. We found no indication of sex-biased mobility into & Ccedil;atalh & ouml;y & uuml;k. Meanwhile, in all periods, within-building genetic connections were predominantly maternal rather than paternal. Burials of female subadults also received a higher frequency of gifts than male subadults. Our results reveal how kinship practices changed while specific practices prioritizing female lines persisted for 1000 years at Neolithic & Ccedil;atalh & ouml;y & uuml;k.