Brick building is taking place at Çatalhöyük around 6000 BCE.

Its people appear to have lived relatively egalitarian lives with no apparent social classes, as no houses with distinctive features (belonging to royalty or religious hierarchy, for example) have been found so far.

The most recent investigations also reveal little social distinction based on gender, with both men and women receiving equivalent nutrition and apparently, having relatively equal social status as typically found in Paleolithic cultures.

In upper levels of the site, it becomes apparent that the people of Çatalhöyük were gaining skills in agriculture and the domestication of animals.

Female figurines have been found within bins used for storage of cereals such as wheat and barley that are presumed to be a deity protecting the grain.

Peas were also grown, and almonds, pistachios, and fruit were harvested from trees in the surrounding hills.

Sheep were domesticated and evidence suggests the beginning of cattle domestication as well.

However, hunting continued to be a major source of meat for the community.

The making of pottery and the construction of obsidian tools were major industries.

Obsidian tools were probably both used and traded for items such as Mediterranean sea shells and flint from Syria.

Among archaeological sites in Anatolia, Çatalhöyük features native copper artifacts and smelted lead beads, but no smelted copper.