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What came first, the chicken or the egg? What do you think? I have no idea and I don't think the people of Çatalhöyük (pronounced CHAT-tall HOO-yuck) cared either. Have you ever wondered about where some of the things around you came from. Or who invented stuff that we have? Well, the people that lived in this village may have some answers for you. Yes, you're right: we can't call them on the phone and ask them. They lived here about 10,000 years ago and probably wouldn't know what a telephone is. Imagine that!

The people of Çatalhöyük did care about "outdoor plumbing", or irrigation. What is that? It has nothing to do with your toilet and everything to do with growing fruits and vegetables. When people first started living in the world, they were hunters and gatherers, which means they killed deer to eat meat and picked fruits from the trees. They got tired of doing this and made a way to get water from a lake to a field without carrying it (That would be a lot of work and would leave no time for cleaning up your room! Yes, parents have always wanted their kids to clean their rooms). With the water they brought over to their fields, they grew wheat, barley, lentils, and peas.

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Do you have any pets? Well, the people of Çatalhöyük were the first people to have pets! They had dogs, goats, sheep, and cows. But it does not stop there, folks! Have you ever put salt on your french fries? No, they weren't the first ones to make salt, but they were the first ones to make a ceramic salt-shaker. So, next time you eat some french fries or pet your dog, remember to thank the people of Çatalhöyük!

Monica