çatalhöyük
What began as a childhood spent herding sheep across the plains surrounding the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük has evolved into a lifelong commitment to preserving one of humanity’s oldest urban communities for Sadrettin Dural, a retired watchman whose self-taught expertise has earned international recognition.
Born in Küçükköy, a village about two kilometers from the UNESCO World Heritage site, the 63-year-old first encountered Çatalhöyük as a shepherd. In 1993, he was appointed as a watchman at the archaeological site, a role that transformed both his life and his understanding of history.
Although his official duties ended in 2001, Dural never severed his ties with the 9,000-year-old settlement. Instead, he continued following excavations closely, gradually becoming what archaeologists describe as one of the site’s living memories.
Despite having only a primary school education, Dural immersed himself in the discoveries unfolding at Çatalhöyük. Through years of conversations with archaeologists and researchers from around the world, he expanded his knowledge of the Neolithic settlement, whose excavations have reshaped understanding of early human societies.
His dedication drew the attention of former excavation director Ian Hodder, who encouraged and mentored him, providing dozens of hours of instruction to help him accurately interpret and communicate the site’s history.
The collaboration inspired Dural to write about Çatalhöyük. His first book was later published in English in the United States under the title Protecting Çatalhöyük and is used as a supplementary textbook by the Department of Anthropology at Binghamton University. He later authored another Turkish-language volume, Life in Çatalhöyük 9,000 Years Ago, which has also been translated into English and German.
Now retired, Dural still visits the site regularly to keep up with new discoveries and plans to write another book about the settlement.
Reflecting on his life, Dural said growing up with a speech disorder exposed him to bullying and left him withdrawn from society. Meeting the international teams of archaeologists working at Çatalhöyük, however, fundamentally changed his outlook.
“They helped shape who I am today,” he said. “I wanted to repay that kindness by sharing knowledge about Çatalhöyük.”
