The Archaeologies of Ancient Mesopotamia 6. End of The
Before the Islamic State: The Archaeologies of Ancient Mesopotamia MWF 1-1:50pm, Rhode Island Hall 008 6. End of the Neolithic Period The Neolithic Revolution: transformations of prehistoric societies (Pre-pottery Neolithic 9600-7000 BC Pottery Neolithic 7000-6000 BC) • New social relations in the context of the settled life: political contestation, family rivalry etc. Neolithicization as socialization. • New conceptions of the landscape: now partially cultivated, not entirely hostile environment • Beyond the hunt: Changing relationships between animals and humans. Domestication of sheep and goat, cattle... •Agricultural technologies: domestication of wheat and barley, legumes... •Pottery technologies: discovery of possibilities of clay, with the rising need of long term storage of footstuffs. •Architectural technologies: mudbrick building with extensive use of wood. Mud, mudbrick, pise. Cladding techniques such as plastering, white-washing, wall paintings. Three-dimesnional cult imagery incorporated into the architectonics of the house. Neolithic house as a space where most daily practices concentrate. •Textile production. •Figurines: stone, bone, clay. •Emergence of representationality through multiple media: textile patterns, pottery decoration, figurines, architectural sculpture, wall paintings... •New burial practices: intramural or in cemeteries. Deposition of grave goods. Differentiation of burials according to social status, age, gender, etc. Tell Sabi Abyad Tell Sabi Abyad II, ca. 7,000 BC Why study pottery? 1) Dating evidence 2) Distributional evidence, e.g., trade 3) Evidence for status and/or function Or, When? Where? For what? Why study pottery? 1) Dating evidence Seriation by F. Petrie Tell Baqrta, Iraq (Kurdistan) Surface collection Why study pottery? 2) Distributional evidence Early Transcaucasion Culture, 3rd mill. Why study pottery? 3) Evidence for status and/or function 15th C cauldrons from the Netherlands, bronze (left) and a ceramic skeuomorph (right) Iron Age ‘gadroon’ vessels from the ancient Near East V.
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