Figurines
from archive reportTwenty two figurines and mainly fragments of figurines were recovered from the BACH1 area. Most were of types seen before, but a single human figurine merits special mention here.
6260.X1 is the upper half of a human figure (Figure 18). The head is oblong, with a flat top, and protuberances for ears, set on a wide neck. Although within both the humanoid and human traditions of other figurine heads at Çatalhöyük, it is distinctively different from others but close to a figurine fragment found in the South Area in 1996. Each has incised eyes and mouth, punctures for nostrils, and two holes in each ear.
Figure 18: Figurine 6260.x1 found in Building 3
While in some ways this could be seen as a typical mother-goddess-type figurine, it is actually not like anything found by Mellaart, and without the lower body it is unclear what pose it originally had. It is of particular interest that it was found in BACH1 area, while the other example was found in the South in 1996, as they are so similar. This could suggest the use of some form of archetypal model, but given the pattern of variety in figurine type at Çatalhöyük so far, it is more likely that they were made for a specific purpose. If they represented a deity we would expect to find similar figures throughout the site.