Eclipse 2006 at Çatalhöyük

The video presentation at the visitors's centre at Çatalhöyük ends with a reminder for the visitors to the site, that through their visit, they have become a part of the history of Çatalhöyük. Members of Anatours tour group, who had on many other occasions become part of the history of Çatalhöyük as visitors, had on March 26, the opportunity to witness a memorable event in the history of the site: A total eclipse. As the sky gradually got dark, birds were flying as they do before darkness in the evenings. Darkness inevitably led to excitement among the members of the tour group. How would the early inhabitants of Çatalhöyük have reacted? Nearby Küçükköy was silent. Not too long ago, villagers in Turkey would have reacted to an eclipse by firing their guns in the air. There had been thousands of years at Çatalhöyük. But only so many total eclipses during those years. Present eclipse was a a marker, a signpost inserted amongst those years. How long would it be before the next total eclipse over site? The sun and the moon seperated. It was light. The birds started to fly again.

Photos by Richard Johnson -  with the cooperation of Indigo Brude