ÇATALHÖYÜK 

  Çatalhöyük is one of the most ancient and prominent of the archeological sites in Turkey. It was built in the Neolithic period, and located near the town of Çumra district within the province of Konya. This site was first discovered in the late 1950s and excavated by James Melaart between 1961 and 1965. The site rapidly became internationally famous due to the large size and dense occupation of the settlement, as well as the spectacular wall paintings and other art that was uncovered inside the houses. Since 1993, an international team of archaeologists, led by Professor Ian Hodder of Stanford University, has been carrying out new excavations and research, in order to shed more light on the people that inhabited the site. In July 2012, Çatalhöyük was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Turkish Cultural Foundation (TCF) has been a sponsor of the Çatalhöyük excavation project for multiple years. The TCF grants were allocated to build a shelter over the excavation site, and to help improve access and informational signage on the site. TCF worked with the Global Heritage Fund in California on this project. To further expand its knowledge on Çatalhöyük, TCF has been taking its Teacher Study Tours to Çatalhöyük for many years.