Our fellow citizens who lived in Anatolia about 10.000 years ago had a “matriarchal” belief system. The most significant settling area of Anatolia at that time was undoubtedly Catalhoyuk. Catalhoyuk, which is on the borders of Cumra district lying 50 km southeast of Konya, is, in our opinion, the first capital of Anatolia. Together with Catalhoyuk, Hacilar Mound in Burdur is a significant settling area as well. However, Catalhoyuk can be regarded as the most important culture centre in Anatolia of that period and around the world. As for the belief system of glorious Catalhoyuk civilization, it comprises the idea of “Goddess”.
It is necessary to familiarize with Catalhoyuk before dealing with the belief system of Catalhoyuk and man of that time.
Catalhoyuk emerges on the scene of history with the Neolithic period. Anatolian citizens settled at Catalhoyuk amid years of 6.500-5.600 BC. 6.000 people living in about 145.000 square meters territory enlivened this place with their tamed animals. Man of Catalhoyuk first tamed cattle, sheep and goat. He created master of wood, weaving and crockery out of his own bosom. The houses of these first Anatolians who led a collective and sharing life all together by building up a village had a structure of adjacent order without windows and doors. Entrance and exits of houses were available through the door on the roof thanks to a stepladder.
All in all, people of Catalhoyuk symbolize first models of a reproductive society. They could put cereal and certain wild animals in service of humanity. People of Catalhoyuk, having such a great success, worshipped “Earth Mother”, that is, “Mother Goddess”.
The statuettes we first encounter at Catalhoyuk and Hacilar had big belly, wide hips and busty form. This fertile and bulky Mother Goddess was always protected by the wild animals situated on her right and left side. In fact, there are always leopards near Mother Goddess shown on the throne.
When man of Catalhoyuk dating back 10.000 years ago begins to familiarize himself with the soil he lives on, he learns to cultivate it in the course of time. And he starts to get harvest from the soil. The soil takes a new meaning ever after for man of Catalhoyuk. He begins to show a different respect for this soil. He takes a thousand in return for one. The soil becomes fertile, nutritious and signifies nearly eternal continuity in the eyes of a man of Catalhoyuk. He likens the soil with these characteristics to a fertile woman and starts calling it with the name of “Earth Mother”; that is, “Mother Goddess”.
Catalhoyuk first emerges with the belief of Mother Goddess in Anatolia and all over the world. However, after centuries, expression of “God” will depart from matriarchy and turn into a patriarchal denotation through sky-religions.
Namely, 10.000 years earlier, a man from Catalhoyuk is not aware of his own role in the pregnancy of a woman. In the course of time, a discrepancy emerges between man and woman who hunt, battle together equally in the beginning. The man starts to feel inferior in front of woman. Because woman whose stomach is slowly getting swollen and breasts are growing is thought to breed on her own and provide continuity of generations.
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