The Çatalhöyük activity area of the Science Museum of Minnesota is in the formative stage of development. It uses the Cambridge University database on the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in Turkey to build an interactive space where teachers and students can learn about archaeology. To this is added human interest material about the researchers and excavations, and a user interface which includes virtual reality images and video. The archaeological database is laid out for grade 10 and above, the interface for grades 3-9, and most of the activities for grades 3-7. The most useful activities and "mysteries" are for grades 3-7 and revolve around the use of art by the people of Çatalhöyük. These demonstrate problems faced by archaeologists in interpreting art and also the ways in which scientists think in order to generate ideas about the things they study. Especially good are activities which show how complex works of art are reconstructed from fragmentary evidence. And for older students, there is a very interesting discussion between the scientists of the meaning of fertility figurines found at Çatalhöyük. How such ideas are tested, to be rejected or confirmed, is still missing in these activities and from the site as a whole. At higher grade levels, where the site has great potential but is underdeveloped, teachers should script its use, add appropriate classroom materials, and plan out carefully how to use the mediated chat rooms (bulletin boards). In this mode, the Çatalhöyük activity area can contribute to almost any unit dealing with the origins of civilization.
