The discovery some 40 years ago of an unknown 8,ooo-year-old civ central Turkey urban, agricultural, artistically sophisticated and remarkably peaceful, apparently without fortifications, weapons or war. very greatly increased inowledge of Neolithic life and culture CatalHuyuk, near present day Konya, was one of the world's earliest towns, a human settlement of sooo in habitants or more much larger than Jericho though unfortunately or one ts acres (y hectares) has so far been excavated. Twelve successive building levels cover a millennium from about6soo to about s65o nc and