Conservation

Çatalhöyük presents many challenges for the conservation team charged with the task of stabilizing, removing, and preserving the often extremely fragile remains of structures, paintings, sculptures, and other artifacts which have not been exposed to the sun and dry winds of Anatolia for 8,000 to 10,000 years. But the significance of the art and architecture of what may be the world's first city makes conservation critically important for the success of the entire project.