Boncuklu Höyük

Boncuklu Höyük is a low mound of compressed marl roughly one hectare in size, located near the village of Hayıroğlu on the Konya Plain in central Turkey. Dated to 8500–7500 cal BC, it is broadly contemporary with the early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B of upper Mesopotamia and represents one of the earliest known sedentary settlements in central Anatolia — predating the far more famous Çatalhöyük, located about 12 kilometres away. Excavations since the 2000s have uncovered house plans, animal bones, and organic remains that shed light on the transition from mobile hunter-gatherer lifestyles to permanent settlement. The site has no visitor infrastructure and little visible above ground, making it primarily of interest to those with a specific curiosity about Neolithic archaeology and early Anatolian prehistory.