Gastronomy Culture from the Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük to 21st century

Abstract

Limited prehistoric evidence, such as written sources, provides insight into the lifestyles of ancient individuals and communities, the tools they used, and the perspectives they adopted. Anatolia offers an extraordinary wealth of cultural artifacts as a center of civilizations. Çatalhöyük stands out with its important cultural, artistic, agricultural, and culinary discoveries. This study aimed to identify the traces and reflections of Çatalhöyük's culinary culture in the 21st-century culinary culture. Therefore, it employed a qualitative research design to gather information about culinary culture, human behavior, and environmental dynamics. Participants were asked about their consumption of wild plants, fruit, and seeds and their cooking methods. The study was based on document review and the information obtained from locals to provide various perspectives on the consumption of food resources in Çatalhöyük. Significant findings have emerged, especially regarding the consumption of terebinths, acorns, and plums and their use in the kitchen.