Is it goddess or bear? The role of Catalhöyük animal seals in Neolithic symbolism

Two examples of stamp seals discovered in the 2003 and 2005 seasons, one depicting a leopard, the other, a bear (both unusual with respect to their uncommon amulet forms reminiscent of figurines, and their recurrence in wall reliefs) provide a key role in understanding the symbolism of Çatalhöyük, along with the complex relations between some distinctive animal groups and their ritual role in the settlement. They demonstrate that the depiction of animals seems not to be confined only to the walls at Catalhöyük, but also appear as sacred symbols of the community on seals. The stamp in the form of a bear is another unique form that is also echoed in the large wall reliefs uncovered by Mellaart, which compels us to change some preconceptions about the ritual role of these wall reliefs, which have been interpreted as mother goddess images.Ključno vlogo pri razumevanju simbolike Çatalhöyüka predstavljata dva pečatnika-žiga, odkrita v sezonah raziskav 2003 in 2005. Umeščena sta v kompleks povezav med nekaterimi izrazitimi skupinami živali in njihovo vlogo v naselbini. Na enem pečatniku je upodobljen leopard, na drugem medved (oba sta nenavadna zaradi njunih neobičajnih amuletnih oblik, ki spominjajo na figure in njunega pojavljanja na stenskih reliefih). Pečatnika kažeta, da upodobitve živali niso bile omejene le na hišne stene Çatalhöyüka, temveč se kot sveti simboli skupnosti pojavljajo tudi na pečatnikih. Pečatnik v obliki medveda je druga izjemna oblika, ki se ponavlja tudi na velikih stenskih reliefih, ki jih je odkril Mellaart. Upodobitvi nas silita, da spremenimo nekatere predsodke glede ritualne vloge teh stenskih reliefov, ki so jih sicer interpretirali kot podobe boginje matere