505 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 506

ARCHEOLOGIE

BRENIQUET, Catharine. — La disparition de la culture de Halaf: les origines de la culture d'Obeid dans le Nord de la Mésopotamie. Éd. Recherche sur les Civilisations, Paris, 1996. (29 cm, 216, ill., photogr.). ISBN 2-86538- 256-7. 190 FF. Catharine Breniquets book is the long-awaited publication of her thesis (submitted in 1990), parts of which have already been presented as various articles (e.g. Breniquet 1987a, 1987b, 1989, 1991a, 1991b, 1994). Although due to this delay the latest evidence from the field could not be incorporated, as the writer notes (p. 16), this does not in the least make the book less valuable. As is reflected in its title, 507 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LV N° 3/4, Mei-Augustus 1998 508 the purpose of the book is twofold: to offer an explanation the style of decoration; 2) the disappearance of the complex for the disappearance of the Halaf culture and, at the same vessel shapes which are characteristic of the Halaf period; time, to explain the rise of the Ubaid in northern 3) the appearance of ‘hybrid' pottery combining elements of Mesopotamia. The Halaf (ca. 5100-4700 B.C.) represents both traditions. the end of the Late Neolithic period in northern The evidence strongly suggests that a Halaf-Ubaid transi- Mesopotamia. The Ubaid, which starts in southern tional phase may indeed exist in northern Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia (Ubaid 1 and 2) spreads over Halaf territory ‘Transitional' levels have also been reported from Tell during the Ubaid 3 phase. Aqab, situated in the Khabur headwaters of northern Syria The book consists of four parts: 1) An outline of the (Davidson 1977). Nevertheless, I am not entirely convinced research questions, an assessment of the current state of that the strata excavated at Khirbet Derak must be seen as research and an evaluation of the existing hypotheses (chap- ‘transitional'. It seems still possible to argue that at Khirbet ter I, La problématique). Here Breniquet already introduces Derak one finds a mixed ceramic assemblage, containing her alternative hypothesis of acculturation, based on the both Late Halaf pottery together with early northern Ubaid work of André Leroi-Gourhan. 2) A discussion of the pottery and, possibly, with ‘hybrid' groups. At Khirbet ceramic evidence (chapter II, Les données céramiques). This Derak this pottery was excavated in the very eroded upper includes the presentation of the pottery of Khirbet Derak, levels of the site, which did not yield much architecture. The situated in northern Iraq. 3) A discussion of the evidence of stratigraphy of the site is ‘quasi inexistante' (p. 40), and the contact between the Halaf and the Ubaid, which made the pottery was badly eroded. The dating of these levels rests acculturation possible (chapters III, La culture de Halaf et solely on the pottery, and the danger of circular reasoning is les cultures contemporaines and IV, Évolution de la culture strong here. Thus, the cultural context of Breniquet’s hybrid de Halaf). Here the emphasis is on architecture, burial rites ‘third category' of pottery, in which Halafian and Ubaidian and glyptics. 4) Finally, these data are synthesised (chapter elements are combined (p. 46-47, see also Breniquet 1994), V). remains somewhat enigmatic. More research is needed, In the past, various explanations have been put forward to therefore, before we can say with certainty what the pottery explain the remarkably wide distribution of the Ubaid pot- from the Halaf-Ubaid-transitional phase looks like. tery style. Breniquet notes how deeply Max Mallowan’s Prior to the northern Ubaid ‘expansion', which is the sub- excavations at Tell Arpachiyah (Mallowan and Rose 1935) ject of the book, Halaf material culture finds a remarkably have influenced previous explanations (p. 28-29). Mal- wide distribution over northern Mesopotamia. Not unlike lowan's idea that the Ubaid arrived in northern Mallowan's view of an Ubaid ‘colonisation', the Halaf phe- Mesopotamia by means of conquest now appears anachro- nomenon has often been framed in terms of population nistic, not to say absurd. Breniquet dismisses the hypothesis movements. While Breniquet chooses acculturation to of wandering potters distributing Ubaid-style pottery over explain the Ubaid distribution, she suggests population dis- northern Mesopotamia (p. 29). The hypothesis that the persion to explain the Halaf distribution (p. 63-68). From Ubaid culture was spread by pastoral nomads does not acco- her perspective this is perfectly reasonable, because the idea modate the evidence that Ubaid society was largely seden- of an Halaf ‘expansion' is closely linked to the view of tary (p. 30-31). Halaf society as a ‘segmentary' society. Very similar views Alternatively, Breniquet argues for a process of accultur- have recently been expressed by other French writers ation. As she sees it, following Leroi-Gourhan, material cul- (Forest 1996, Huot 1994). ture patterning results from the combination of two major According to these authors, the strategy adopted by forces. The ‘milieu intérieur' represents the ‘personality' (p. Halafian communities to cope with population growth and 32) of the society in question. The ‘milieu extérieur' repre- increasing settlement size was to split up whenever prob- sents the ecological and cultural environment of that society, lems arose, and to found new, small villages in empty areas including other, contemporaneous groups. Changes in mate- (p. 67-68). Lacking strong integrating overarching political rial culture result from disequilibrium between the two structures, segments of society could always break apart, ‘milieu's'. Disequilibrium occurs, for example, when two and this resulted in a constant regional expansion. Instead of neighbouring groups differ in socio-economic complexity becoming more strongly integrated, as did the Ubaidian and are exposed to each other for a significant amount of groups, Halafian society kept to its ‘segmentary' character. time. As a result of such conditions, acculturation may A major assumption in the model offered by Breniquet and occur: the adoption of a completely different material cul- other French writers is that the Halaf culture is unstable and ture (p. 32-34). Thus, to explain material culture change is to underdeveloped (‘moins advancée', p. 21) when compared explain how two contemporaneous groups (in this case: to the Ubaid. The Halaf is seen as manifestly ‘plus fruste' Halaf and Ubaid) differ and how such differences cause (p. 77). According to this view, this system led to crisis social ‘disequilibrium' in the weaker group (read: in the when Halaf communities were no longer able to expand, Halaf culture). apparently because all the available ecological niches had As proof for a continuous development from (Late) Halaf been filled. It is at this moment that the Ubaid-solution is to Ubaid, Breniquet discusses the pottery from Tell Turlu, finally ‘imitated', resulting in the adoption of a different situated in southern Anatolia, and from Khirbet Derak in the life-style and a more complex social organization. In short, Eski-Mosul region. As Breniquet convincingly shows, at it leads to acculturation. these two sites Late Halaf pottery is excavated together with Leaving aside the theoretical difficulties of archaeological Ubaidian pottery (p. 40-46). She interprets this as evidence concepts such as ‘culture' and ‘acculturation' (Shennan that this pottery represents a ‘transitional' stage between 1989), there are empirical grounds for questioning the con- Halaf and Ubaid. Thus, the characteristics of the Halaf- cept of acculturation. Recent archaeological work (e.g. Ubaid Transitional stage are (p. 56): 1) the simplification of Akkermans 1993, Campbell 1992) has made it clear that the 509 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 510 areas into which the Halaf ‘expanded' were not in the least Halaf period. We should not forget, however, that until very empty. This research shows that Pre-Halaf to Early Halaf recently we simply knew much more about the architecture Transitional stages exist. Population movements or migra- from the Middle-Late Halaf period than from the Early tions may not be nescessary, indeed are becoming much less Halaf period. To attribute Halafian architectural evolution to likely, to explain the ‘rise' of the Halaf culture. Further, per- Ubaidian influences may be premature. Similarly, the appar- haps more importantly, during the Halaf period, important ent increase in size of Halafian round houses (the so-called changes in social organisation did take place. Contempora- tholoi) and the introduction of complex tholoi during the neous with the Ubaid 1-2, a settlement hierarchy did Middle Halaf period (p. 90) may largely reflect the current develop. Some good examples of large Halafian mounds state of research. At Early Halaf Tell Sabi Abyad, for exam- (over 15 hectares) include Tell Mounbatteh, in the Balikh ple, where complex tholoi-structures occur (Akkermans, ed., valley of northern Syria (Akkermans 1993), Tell Nisibin in 1996), there is no reason to attribute these features to Ubaid- the Khabur headwaters (Nieuwenhuyse in press), or Domuz ian influences. Tepe, on the edge of the Halaf distribution in southern Breniquet suggests that the practice of sealing increases Turkey (Stuart Campbell, pers comm.). considerably with the beginning of the Ubaid period. Fur- One is led to wonder why Halaf society lasted so long ther, changes in style and iconography reflect important (for over half a millennium), if it were so unstable. For modifications in the ‘psychology' of the Halaf communities instance, Breniquet mentions the absence of irrigation sys- (p. 109-110). This may be true, but it certainly also reflects tems as characteristic of the simplicity of Halaf society (p. the current state of research. This is indicated by the several 21). One good reason for the Halafians not to adopt irriga- hundreds of sealings preserved by chance in a burnt context tion may have been that they simply didn't need it, in what at Tell Sabi Abyad (Duistermaat 1996). These Pre-Halaf to seems to have been a highly successfull dry-farming and Early Halaf Transitional sealings are older than the earliest semi-pastoral economy. There is presently no evidence for known Ubaid sealings. If sealings represent evidence for socio-economic pressures that would have led Halafian increasingly complex administrative practices and hierarchi- communities to acculturate themselves. Breniquet’s charac- cal social relations, such practices may have been much terisation of the Halaf economy (chapter III: p. 59-63) is more common in Late Neolithic times than was hitherto convincing. The Halafians can be seen as farmers and thought. Further, many of the Sabi Abyad sealings have nat- herders and as occupying sedentary villages. However, the uralistic designs, such as capricorns. The apparent stylistic role of specialised pastoralism in Halaf society is recently contrast between the geometric Late Halaf seal impressions receiving more attention (e.g. Cavallo 1997, McCorriston and the more naturalistic designs from the Ubaid period (p. 1992), and some recent writers emphasise the socio-eco- 110) may be misleading. nomic distinctions between the larger, long-term sedentary In conclusion, Breniquet's book is well-written and con- Halaf sites and the many small, short-term or specialised tains a thorough discussion of some of the major problems sites (e.g. Akkermans 1993, Baird, Campbell and Watkins regarding the end of the Late Neolithic period in Northern 1995). Such distinctions throw further doubt on the notion Mesopotamia. To the reader the book offers an accessible of a homogeneous, unified Halaf ‘culture'. Halaf material lay-out and good illustrations. It will certainly continue to culture may have meant different things to different seg- stimulate much further discussion. ments of Halaf society. An important part of the book (chapters III-IV) concen- National Museum of Antiquities, Olivier NIEUWENHUYSE trates on the evidence of contact between Halafian and Leiden, January 1998 Ubaidian communities. Both traditions co-existed for a long period of time, and, not surprisingly, evidence can be References: brought forward for mutual influence. Contact between Akkermans P.M.M.G. 1993 Villages in the Steppe, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Halafian and Ubaidian communities (chapter III: p. 69-77) Akkermans P.M.M.G., ed. is suggested by the distribution of obsidian which must have 1996 Tell Sabi Abyad. The Late Neolithic Settlement. Report on passed through Halafian territory (p. 69-70), and by Middle- the Excavations of the University of Amsterdm (1988) and Halaf influences on Ubaid 2 — Hajji Muhammad pottery (p. the National Museum of Antiquities of Leiden (1991-1993) 70-74). The possibility that true Halaf pottery may have in Syria, Vol. I and Vol. II, Nederlands Historisch Arche- been distributed as far south as Hajji Muhammad is highly ologisch Instituut, Istanbul. interesting (p. 73). Breniquet gives a very useful synthesis of Baird D., Campbell S. and Watkins T. Halaf architecture (chapter IV: p. 79-96), funerary rites (p. 1995 ‘Summary and discussion', in: Baird, Campbell and 96-106) and sealing practices (p. 106-115). On the basis of Watkins, eds., Excavations at Kharabeh Shattani, Vol. II, Occasional Papers University of Edinburgh:185-193. ethnographic comparisons (p. 92), she suggests that the typ- Breniquet C. ical small Halaf village, consisting for a large part of round 1987a ‘Nouvelle hypothèse sur la disparition de la culture de tholoi, was inhabited by one extended family consisting of Halaf', in: Huot (ed.), Préhistoire de la Mésopotamie, Cen- two or three generations, centred around the head of the tre National des Récherches Scientifique, Paris: 231-241. family (p. 92-94). 1987b ‘Note sur les principaux résultats de la fouille de Tell The interpretation that the small-scale rectangular archi- Turlu, 1962', Paléorient 13/1:113-116. tecture of the Halaf period functioned as storage facilities (p. 1989 ‘Les origines de la culture d'Obeid dans le Nord de la 87) is supported by other writers (e.g. Forest 1996). Breni- Mésopotamie', in: Henrickson and Thuesen (eds.), Upon quets suggestion that houses built according to a tripartite this foundation. The ‘Ubaid reconsidered, Carsten Niebuhr Institute, Copenhagen: 325-336. model may have made their appearance during the Late 1991a ‘Un site halafien en Turquie méridionale: Tell Turlu. Rap- Halaf period (p. 88-90), is important. This would represent a port sur la campagne de fouilles de 1962', Akkadica 71:1- further indication of social evolution taking place during the 35. 511 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LV N° 3/4, Mei-Augustus 1998 512

1991b ‘Une maison tripartite halafienne à Tell Hassan?, the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1990, excavations were led Mesopotamia 26:23-34. by D. Stronach. Renate Gut’s book concentrates on the pre- 1994 ‘Un phénomème de résurgence stylistigue à l'époque historic sequence established during the supervision of R.C. d'Obeid en Mésopotamie du nord', Orient Express Thompson (1903-1932). 1994/3:91-94. 1996 La disparition de la culture de Halaf; les origines de la In the winter of 1931-32, during the last campaign led by culture d'Obeid dans le Nord de la Mésopotamie, Éditions Thompson, his fieldassistant Max Mallowan, who had just Recherches sur les Civilizations, Paris. married Agatha Christie, dug a deep sounding on Kouyun- Campbell S. jik, one of the two mounds of Ninive. The sounding, termed 1992 Culture, Chronology and Change in the later Neolithic of the ‘prehistoric pit', was located in the area of the Ishtar North Mesopotamia, Ph.D. thesis University of Edinburgh. Temple (in squares MM-NN, abb. 4 & abb. 5), on the high- Cavallo C. est location of the mound. Virgin soil was reached not less 1997 Animals in the Steppe, Ph.D. thesis University of Amster- than 27 meters below the surface. This yielded the first rela- dam. tively well-stratified relative chronology for the prehistory Davidson T. E. 1977 Regional Variation within the Halaf Ceramic Tradition, of northern Mesopotamia. Mallowan's sounding covers the Ph.D. Thesis University of Edinburgh. period from the Late Neolithic, termed Ninivite I-II, almost Duistermaat K. without interruption to the Early Bronze Age, termed 1996 ‘The Seals and Sealings', in Akkermans, ed., 1996: chapter Ninivite V. The time-span is from the sixth into the early 5. third millennium B.C. The pottery from the sounding was Forest J.D. rapidly published (Thompson and Mallowan 1933). Sixty 1996 Mésopotamie, l'apparition de l'Etat, Méditerranée, Paris. years later, Renate Gut's book aims to re-evaluate the cul- Huot J.L. ture-historical sequence that Mallowan established at 1994 Les premiers villageois de Mésopotamie. Du village à la Ninive. ville, Armand Collin, Paris. Mallowan M.E.L. and Rose J.C. Gut first synthesises the available information concerning 1935 ‘Excavations at Tell Arpachiyah, 1933', Iraq 2:1-178. the excavations at Ninive and in particular its pottery. In Le Mière M. and Nieuwenhuyse O.P. chapter I (Das prähistorische Ninive: Algemeines zu Aus- 1996 ‘The Prehistoric Pottery', in Akkermans P.M.NM.G., ed.: grabungen) she gives a short overview of the excavations at chapter 3. Ninive. Most of the pottery from Mallowan's ‘prehistoric McCorriston J. pit' eventually arrived in the British Museum, the main 1992 ‘The Halaf Environment and Human Activities in the sponsor of the excavations, but other museums and private Khabur Drainage, Syria', Journal of Field Archaeology sponsors received their share as well. Chapter I includes a 19:315-333. useful attempt to reconstruct what happened to these various Nieuwenhuyse O.P. in press ‘Halaf settlement in the Khabur headwaters', in Lyonnet collections. B., ed., Prospection archéologique dans le Haut Khabur. Gut discusses some of the severe consequences the meth- Vol. 1: méthodologie, paléolithique et néolithique, IFAPO, ods of collecting and selecting have had on the possibilities Damascus. for statistical treatment of the ceramics (p. 74). Although Shennan S.J. Gut suggests that, ‘with few exceptions' (p. 13), most of the 1989 ‘Introduction: archaeological approaches to cultural inden- pottery from the 1931-32 campaign reached the British tity', in Shennan S.J., ed., Archaeological Approaches to Museum, she also indicates that the British Museum hardly Cultural Indentity, Routledge, London:1-32. possesses any undecorated sherds from the deep-sounding (p. 14, p. 74). In addition, the 1215 still available sherds and ** vessels from the deep-sounding (tab. 1) are considerably less * than the large numbers of sherds mentioned by Mallowan (‘…more than a hundred thousand sherds…', p. 67-68). This GUT, Renate Vera — Das prähistorische Ninive. Zur rela- points out a sad problem that is common with many sherd- tiven Chronologie der frühen Perioden Nordmesopo- collections that are now kept in archaeological museums. tamiens, 1995. Many of these old collections are biased towards the deco- Nowadays, the results, the style of publication and the rated wares and may not be statistically representative of the interpretations of many of the pioneering excavations in the periods they attempt to represent. Near East are no longer uncritically accepted by archaeolo- In addition to the deep-sounding, the excavations during gists. Today, many of these pioneering excavations are earlier campaigns also yielded prehistoric pottery. It appears being re-evaluated against modern standards and against the that because of the complicated stratigraphy of the mound, latest developments in the field. Tell Ninive is one of those the later, historic levels had often been dug into much older sites. The explorations at Ninive have a complex history. levels. The pottery that was found in these other excavated Archaeological investigations began in the context of the areas is treated in chapter V. In chapter II (Grabungsbefunde imperialist rivalry between France and Britain, led by the 1927-1932), Gut uses the old publications, texts and desire to find as many prestigious works of art as possible. sketches from the excavation diaries, photographs and what Emile Botta, working for France, started on Ninive in 1842 has been preserved of the pottery in an attempt to recon- before moving on to Khorsabad. He was followed between struct the nature of these prehistoric levels. The excavations 1846-1851 by Austen Henry Layard, digging for Britain. include the area of the Nabu temple during the first year of These pioneers were followed between 1903-1932 by L.W. campaign 1927-'28 (p. 23-25), the so-called Palace of King and R.C. Thompson. Subsequently, during World War Assurnasirpal during the second campaign 1929-'30 (p. 25- II, M. Rowton made a small sondage. After the war Iraqi 37) and the Ishtar temple during the last two campaigns archaeologists worked on the mound, and from 1988 until 1930-'32 (p. 38-44). In particular, prehistoric strata were 513 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 514 exposed directly below the platform of the Ishtar temple; It is the clear presentation of the prehistoric pottery these can be dated to the Uruk period and to the Early Third that follows which makes the book most valuable. Gut Millennium (p. 40). These prehistoric remains, however, had divides the pottery into seven groups: Hassuna, Samarra, been much disturbed by later building activities, and can Halaf, 'Ubaid-Uruk, Uruk, Ninive 5 and other pottery (p. only be partially and indirectly reconstructed (p. 44). 70). Each of these groups is described in detail and abun- The excavation of the deep-sounding itself is the subject dantly illustrated with drawings (Tafel 1-103) as well as of chapter III (Grabungsbefund 1931-32: die Tiefschnitt). with colour photographs (Tafel 125-135). Chapter IV is The sounding started on a surface of about 15 by 15 meters, concerned with the pottery from the deep-sounding of the located at the northern side of the Ishtar temple platform, in last campaign; what remains of the excavated prehistoric areas MM/NN (p. 51). Virgin soil was reached two and a pottery from the earlier campaigns (which have been dis- half months later at a depth of approximately 27 meters (90 cussed in chapter II), is presented in chapter V (Die feet); by this time the sounding had been narrowed to a sur- prähistorische Keramik der übrigen Grabungsarealen). face of approximately 4 by 4 meters. The book contains the On the basis of the analysis of the pottery, Gut is able to original photographs showing the spiralling staircases to date many of the areas outside the sounding where pre- reach the base of pit (Tafel 138). All finds were measured in historic pottery was found (table 12a & 12b). It appears feet below zero-level. Mallowan's schematic reconstruction that Ninive 5 pottery is distributed over the whole of the of the sounding (abb. 28, from Thompson and Mallowan excavated area, an area of at least 150 by 100 meters (p. 1933: fig. 73) has become famous. Mallowan divided the 154). sequence into five phases on the basis of changes in the pot- In chapter VI (Die Keramik anderer Fundorte) the results tery, starting from Ninive I at the base of the sounding. from the sounding are placed in a wider regional perspec- Architectural features appeared to be absent, although, as tive. The aim is to contribute to a regional ceramic sequence Gut indicates (p. 53), this may be due to the rapid style of for northern Mesopotamia, on the basis of the sequence excavating. excavated at Ninive. This part of the book offers a valuable Gut's excursion into Mallowan's diaries (p. 56-63) shows synthesis of most of the relevant excavations for each of the how Mallowan discovers in the course of his work the periods concerned, as well as a discussion of the state of remains of ‘low tunnels' left by earlier expeditions. Tun- research on the pottery from the period in question. Finally, nelling was a popular excavation method in Lanyard's the results are summarised in chapter VII (Zusammenfas- times. He also finds ‘a coffee pot and… a pair of scissors' sung). Section VII.3.1. (Keramikindikatoren) gives a sum- (p. 56). More importantly, however, this excursion shows mary of the ceramic attributes that are characteristic of each the difficulties the excavator had in deciding when a new period covered in the book. cultural level had been reached. At the time, the pottery was Probably, it would go too far to review the extensive still relatively unknown. The Ninive 1 (Late Neolithic) and analysis of the pottery here in any detail. Although the the Ninive 5 (Early Third Millennium) pottery in particular sequence of Ninive encompasses most of the prehistoric found very few parallels elsewhere. Lacking established period following the Neolithic, the sequence is particularly procedures for ceramic analysis, Mallowan made many relevant for two periods: the Late Neolithic period (Has- drawings of sherd-profiles in his diaries, most of which were suna/Samarra) of Ninive 1 and 2 (chapter VI.1-2) and the never published (p. 61). These field drawings and Mal- period from the end of the ‘Ubaid to the Uruk of Ninive 3 lowan's descriptions are included in the book and published and 4 (chapter VI.4-5). These two periods have yielded most for the first time (Tafel 104-121). of the ceramics from the sounding. The reviewer, who is not In chapter IV (Die Tiefschnittkeramik) the book continues an expert on the Uruk period, will restrict himself to some with a thorough re-analysis of the pottery from the deep- remarks concerning the pottery from the Late Neolithic sounding excavated by Mallowan. In all, some 1215 sherds period. This period is termed Ninive 1-2, and it comprises and complete vessels from the sounding are available for the strata excavated under 63 feet below zero (table 5b). study, most of which are now stored in the British Museum Gut's description and discussion of the Hassuna and (table 1). No more than 40% of this material had previously Samarra pottery of Ninive is valuable, making the Late been published (p. 67-68). Not surprisingly, Mallowan's Neolithic pottery from Ninive more available to a wider administration of the pottery does not entirely meet modern archaeological audience. standards. In particular, the only information concerning the Cultures such as the Hassuna, Samarra or Halaf cultures provenience of the sherds is the depth of excavation. This have all been named after excavations which took place information is written on about 70% of all the available before World War II. Today, the problem of definition is sherds; the other 30% can therefore be attributed to a partic- becoming increasingly urgent (p. 159, see also Campbell ular phase only on stylistic grounds. 1997; Bernbeck 1994): what exactly is meant by Hassuna or Further, Mallowan's emphasis on collecting decorated Samarra culture? Recent archaeological investigations (e.g. pottery means that some groups are over-represented rela- Akkermans 1993; Bernbeck 1994; Campbell 1997) are cast- tive to others (p. 74). This bias towards the decorated pot- ing doubts on the long-held culture-model for the Late tery became even stronger when Mallowan selected exam- Neolithic period of northern Mesopotamia. In particular, it ples for publication (tab. 7, p. 77). For instance, Mallowan's appears that often the Hassuna and the Samarra pottery distinction between Ninive I (Neolithic) and Ninive 2 (Has- styles cannot be clearly distinguished from each other. suna/Samarra/Halaf) was based on the increase of decorated Moreover, transitional phases between Pre-Halaf and Early pottery. Today, this distinction cannot be re-evaluated as Halaf are now being documented at Tell Sabi Abyad and (almost) no undecorated pottery was kept from these levels other sites; these transitional phases show strong Samarra (p. 75). In tables 5a and 5b, Gut presents the up-dated sherd and Hassuna influences (Akkermans 1993; Le Mière and counts, according to depth of excavation (p. 69-77). Nieuwenhuyse 1996; Campbell 1997). 515 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LV N° 3/4, Mei-Augustus 1998 516

Gut defines a Hassuna ceramic assemblage as an assem- the Transitional period at Tell Sabi Abyad (Le Mière and blage in which painted, incised and painted-and-incised Nieuwenhuyse 1996). Hassuna pottery dominates (p. 162, 183). Hassuna pottery Summarising, Gut’s work on Ninive offers considerably is the pottery excavated by Lloyd and Safar (1945) at Tell more than a valuable discussion and presentation of the pre- Hassuna, the type-site. She suggests that the distribution historic pottery from Ninive. The lay-out of the book is of a of Hassuna assemblages is geographically restricted to the high quality, and the book gives a useful synthesis of the Mosul-Ninive area in northern Iraq (p. 160, 183, 283). In current research on the chronology of prehistoric northern this Hassuna assemblage, Samarra-style pottery is intro- Mesopotamia. For some readers the emphasis of the book is, duced as a minority element during the later phase of the perhaps, too strongly on typology and chronology, to the Hassuna period (p. 161). However, one might ask: did neglect of the wider social context in which ceramic change such sharp cultural boundaries really exist? They are occurs. This emphasis is, however, clearly set out in the mainly based on decoration (p. 183). For instance, it introduction at the beginning of the book (p. 3-5), and does appears that all of the decorative techniques that are seen not make the book less useful. Today, Ninive remains an as characteristic for Hassuna also occur at Tell Sabi important site. Parts of Mallowan's original terminology Abyad in Northern Syria, in a local Late Neolithic ceramic continue to be widely used, in particular the term Ninivite 5 assemblage (Le Mière and Nieuwenhuyse 1996). The period for the Early Third Millennium. question then may become one of statistics: how much of what particular type of decoration is necessary for an Leiden, January 1998 Olivier NIEUWENHUYSE assemblage to be considered to be Hassuna? Gut suggests that the pottery must consist of between 50% and 85% of References: decorated Hassuna pottery (p. 183). However, as so few Akkermans P.M.M.G. Late Neolithic sites are presently available for compara- 1993 Villages in the Steppe. Later Neolithic Settlement and Sub- tive statistical analyses such precise statements may be sistence in the Balikh Valley, Northern Syria, Ann Arbor, Michigan. premature. Bernbeck R. Following Bernbeck (1994), Gut argues for a more formal 1994 Die Auflösung der häuslichen Produktionsweise, Dietrich distinction between a ‘Classic' Samarra region in Central Reimer, Berlin. Iraq, and a ‘Northern' Samarra area in Northern Iraq, where Campbell S. a simpler, Samarra-influenced pottery occurs as a minority 1997 ‘Problems of Definition: the Origins of the Halaf in North element in Late Hassuna assemblages (p. 191). Bernbeck Iraq', Subartu IV, vol. 2:39-52. (1994) and Gut (p. 191) argue that it is possible to demon- Le Mière M. and Nieuwenhuyse O.P. strate stylistic differences in decoration between these two 1996 ‘The Prehistoric Pottery', in Akkermans P.M.M.G. (ed.), regions. Generally, the northern Samarra style uses simpler Tell Sabi Abyad: the Late Neolithic Settlement. Report on the excavations of the University of Amsterdam (1988) and vessel shapes and a simpler structure of decoration (p. 191). the National Museum of Antiquities (1991-1993) in Syria, However, looking at the available archaeological record, NHAI, Istanbul: chapter 3. very few Samarra sites have actually been excavated and Lloyd S. and Safar F. even less Samarra assemblages have been subjected to the 1945 ‘Tell Hassuna. Excavations by the Iraq Governement Direc- kind of stylistic analysis on which such differences are torate General of Antiquities in 1943 and 1944', Journal based. To make such a sharp cultural differentiation may be Near Eastern Studies IV:259-284. premature. The work at Tell Sabi Abyad suggests, for Thompson R.C. and Mallowan M.E.L. instance, that a more ‘complex' Samarran style may arise 1933 ‘The British Museum Excavations at Niniveh 1931-32', out of a relatively simple style of decorating (Le Mière and Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology 20:71-186. Nieuwenhuyse 1996). In Syria, the Hassuna/Samarra-influenced transitional ** phase is followed by an early phase of the Halaf culture, * which precedes the Early Halaf of Tell Arpachiyah (Akker- mans 1993). Similar pottery has been demonstrated recently BORN, Hermann, Usrulla SEIDL — Schutzwaffen aus in northern Iraq as well (Campbell 1997), indicating that the Assyrien und Urartu. Bd. IV: Sammlung Axel Guttmann Sabi Abyad-like Early Halaf is characterised by a wide dis- / Hrsg. von Hermann Born. Philipp von Zabern GmbH, tribution over the northern Mesopotamian Jezirah. Gut sug- Mainz am Rhein, 1995. (31 cm, 186, Abb.). gests that this pottery, which she calls ‘ältere Frühhalaf' Le volume présenté ici contient la publication des casques phase, may also have been attested at Ninive (p. 202), but I et de quelques pièces d’armure néo-assyriens et ourartéens feel the examples offered by Gut (Kat. nr. 719, 714, 735, de la collection d’Axel Guttman. L’ouvrage est composé de 745 and 749) may more plausibly be attributed to the ‘jün- deux parties: la première, de la main d’Ursula Seidl, contient gere Frühhalaf' phase, the traditional Early Halaf as repre- une étude archéologique et iconographique; la deuxième par- sented by Tell Arpachiyah. Gut makes the interesting sug- tie, préparée par Hermann Born, est une approche technolo- gestion, however, that this Initial Halaf does occur at Tell gique et métallurgique des pièces étudiées.1) Arpachiyah (p. 197-198). If so, this would indicate an even Dans l’avant-propos, H. Born expose l’objectif de l’entre- wider distribution of the earliest Halaf and would suggest prise. U. Seidl aborde ensuite, après une brève introduction that future explorations may recover transitional sites even historique (p. 8-10), l’étude iconographique et archéologique in this region. Gut suggests that a Sabi Abyad-like Early circonstanciée des pièces de la collection. Halaf ‘cream bowl' occurs at the Samarra site of Tell Baghouz (p. 215). This vessel, however, can perhaps better 1) La table des matières se trouve à la fin du volume, ce qui est inhabi- be compared with the so-called ‘short-collared bowls' from tuel dans une publication allemande. 517 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 518

En premier lieu, sont présentés trois casques néo-assyriens leurs décors, par la minutie des observations et par le nombre (p. 11-52): et la qualité des illustrations. Les données contenues dans cette — un casque en bronze, décoré d’une scène de couron- publication viennent enrichir indéniablement nos connais- nement royal, au dessus d’une frise représentant le roi debout sances archéologiques, iconographiques et techniques relatives davant une tente (d’un type unique) et recevant des officiers aux casques et à l’armurerie néo-assyriens et ourartéens. assyriens, suivis de porteurs de tribut; Le seul petit problème qui se pose au lecteur «orientaliste» — un casque en bronze, décoré d’une représentation concerne la conception de l’ouvrage qui est entaché d’une royale en position de prière; petite lacune. En effet, la publication s’apparente dans la — la partie conservée en bronze d’un casque dont l’autre forme, me semble-t-il, à une excellente vulgarisation (figures moitié était en fer. et planches dispersées dans le corps du texte vraisemblable- L’examen de cet ensemble est suivi de celui d’une série de ment pour éviter la monotonie, exposés de portée générale pièces ourartéennes en bronze, qui sont: sur l’histoire, l’armée, etc., absence de notes dans le texte). — un fragment de barde de poitrail (de cheval) en forme Pour pouvoir repérer rapidement l’information recherchée, de croissant, décoré d’une scène de guerre (p. 55-72); dans la dispersion inévitable des données, le lecteur pressé — la partie inférieure, en forme de trapèze, d’une autre aurait apprécié, au moins, la présence d’un index détaillé (en barde de poitrail (à l’origine bipartite), portant comme décor plus de la table des matières). le disque solaire ailé contenant le buste d’une divinité tenant A cette remarque de portée générale, je me permettrais un arc (p. 73-81); d’ajouter deux corrections de détail: — un fragment de ceinture (p. 81-85); — p. 53 (lignes 3-4): corriger «Vankales» et «Kefkales» — une plaque «votive» décorée de la représentation d’un en «Vankalesi» et «Kefkalesi». archer (qui est un exemple unique) (p. 85-87); — la fig. 107 (p. 134) se trouve avant la fig. 103. — une paire de brassards (p. 88-90); Nous devons d’abord remercier H. Horn qui a conçu le pro- — cinq casques dont l’un porte curieusement deux ins- jet et les deux auteurs du présent volume, Ursula Seidl et H. criptions royales («propriété de Menua», «propriété d’Argi- Horn, qui ont mis à notre disposition une étude de qualité shi») et un autre est accompagné d’une armure d’épaules (p. remarquable sur les objets en métal néo-assyriens et ourartéens. 90-100); — une ceintrure décorée. Université de Liège Önhan TUNCA Cette première partie s’achève par un bref chapitre de por- Novembre 1997 tée générale sur l’armée et la royauté, intitulé «Heerwesen und Königtum» (p. 103-106). Dans la deuxième partie, sont exposés, en premier lieu, les résultats des études technologique et métallurgique concer- nant les casques (p. 107-158), avant ceux qui concernent les KORTE AANKONDIGING fragments de ceinture,2) les bardes de poitrail et les brassards (p. 158-169). CYLINDER SEALS IN THE IRAQ MUSEUM. — Uruk and Parmi les nombreuses observations intéressantes consi- Jamdat Nasr Periods. F. Basmachi, London 1994 gnées dans cette partie de l’ouvrage, on peut relever, par (Edubba 3, Nabu Publications). exemple, que les casques sont fabriqués avec du bronze à l’étain, mais que le bronze des ceintures ourartéennes contient In the preface of this book, the series’ editor dr. Lamia une proportion non négligeable de zinc (4,26%), en plus de al-Gailani Werr reveals that we are dealing with an unfin- l’étain (9,25%) (p. 161). Sont aussi intéressantes: ished manuscript of the regretted Faraj Basmachi’s, which, — la reconstitution de la technique du repoussé avec in deference to that humanistic scholar was left virtually laquelle les motifs sur les casques ont été réalisés (p. 127- unchanged. 128) et la présentation de l’outillage (p. 168), The book consists of an arabic part (not read by this — l’hypothèse proposée pour expliquer la présence éton- reviewer) which presents “a short account of the develop- nante de traces d’asphalte, détectées dans les parties creuses ment of the study of cylinder seals since the last century and au revers des motifs sur les casques (p. 128-130), a general history and archaeology of ancient Iraq” (introd.). — la reconstitution proposée pour le port des armures The actual catalogue gives serial number, museum inventory d’épaules (p. 149-158). number, provenance, excavation number where applicable, À la fin de l’ouvrage, on trouvera: material (not geologically determined), size, and, where — une carte (p. 170-171), applicable, publication history. 571 pieces have been cata- — les quatre tableaux qui contiennent les résultats des logued and illustrated in usable photographs. There are no analyses métallurgiques effectuées sur les échantillons préle- comments on the individual seals. Indexes according to vés (p. 172-179), museum number and provenance facilitate perusal. In all, the — un tableau chronologique (p. 180), book is a welcome addition to one’s library on the basis of — une bibliographie analytique (p. 181-183). the illustrations. The amount of printing and language errors Au terme de la lecture, on est très agréablement impres- in the english text is debilitating, unfortunately. Fourty-five sionné par le soin apporté à l’exposé, par la documentation pounds sterling is a steep price. utilisée pour étoffer l’examen des pièces de la collection et de D. MEIJER

2) H. Horn signale, par ailleurs, que la collection comprend encore 5 fragments de ceinture qui ne sont pas encore restaurés et qui n’ont pas été ** étudiés dans la présente publication (p. 169). * 519 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LV N° 3/4, Mei-Augustus 1998 520

GASCHE, H. et B. HROUDA — Collectanea Orientalia. sites and cultures (e.g. P. Amiet “Alliance des hommes, Histoire, arts de l’espace et industrie de la terre. Etudes alliance des dieux dans l’iconographie orientale, 1-6; C. offertes en hommage à Agnès Spycket. (Civilisations du Breniquet, “Du fil à retordre: réflexions sur les ‘idoles aux Proche-Orient s. I, Archeologie et environnement 3). yeux’ et les fileuses de l’époque d’Uruk”, 31-54; A. Caubet, Recherches et publications, Neuchâtel, 1996. (28 cm, “L’ivoire et la coquille dans la statuaire du Proche-Orient XVII, 406). ISBN 2-940032-09-2. ISSN 1420-7745. sFr ancien”, 65-70; B. Hrouda, “Einige Bemerkungen zur Rund- 85,-. plastik im Alten Orient”, 137-144; J.-L. Huot, “Fermetures de porte?”, 145-150; E. Strommenger and J. Bollweg, With forty-two articles on subjects ranging in time from “Onager und Esel im alten Zentralvorderasien”, 349-366). the Uruk to the Sasanian period, on subjects as diverse as Several deal with material from the later historical periods statuary and cylinder seals, on the one hand, and a bilingual, (e.g. P. Bordreuil, “Une nouvelle monnaie babylonienne de Greek/Christian-Palestinian Aramaic amulet on the other, this Mazday”, 27-30; P.O. Harper, “Taq-i Bostan and is a formidable Festschrift in the grand style. Honouring the Mesopotamian Palatial Tradition”, 119-128; L. Martinez- French archaeologist Agnès Spycket, the volume offers a Sève, “Une statuette romaine trouvée à Suse et la chronolo- wealth of interesting contributions by a diverse set of authors. gie du Donjon”, 171-180). Very few contributions are purely Before commenting on several individual articles, it may be philological (M. Haussperger, “Einige medizinische most helpful to sketch out the contents of what is patently Anmerkungen zum Text BAM 393”, 129-132; H. Limet, “Le one of the better Festschriften of recent years. Given Madame texte KAR 158”, 151-158; E. Puech, “Deux amulettes pales- Spycket’s interests, particularly her now standard publica- tiniennes, une en grec et une bilingue en grec-christo-pales- tions on ancient Near Eastern statuary and the figurines from tinien”, 299-310; E. Reiner, “Suspendu entre ciel et terre…”, Susa, it is hardly surprising to find a large number of studies 311-314); and F. Vallat, “Nouvelle analyse des inscriptions devoted to Mesopotamia (P. Calmeyer and U. Seidl, “Eine néo-élamites”, 385-396). One contribution concerns a fig- anatolische Gussform in Tell ed-Der?”, 55-56; N. Chevalier, urine from India (S. Thierry, “D’une figurine l’autre: un “De Tello au Louvre. Aventures du vase d’Entéména”, 71- itinéraire d’ouest en est?”, 375-380). 82; G. Colbow, “Zur Abrollung eines Tonsiegels unter More than one contribution takes issue with the standard Ammisaduqa”, 83-88; J.E. Curtis and D. Collon, “Ladies of interpretation of a body of material or particular object and Easy Virtue”, 89-96; J.D. Forest, “Les pseudo-temples de la this is one of the great strengths of this collection. This is true Diyala, ou le contrôle de la population urbaine au Dynastique of C. Breniquet’s study of the eye-idols of the Uruk period; Archaïque”, 97-112; J.-Cl. Margueron, “L’‘étandard d’Ur’: J.D. Forest’s re-analysis of the Diyala temples; J.-L. Huot’s récit historique ou magique”, 159-170; K.R. Maxwell-Hys- treatment of so-called door-pegs; J.-Cl. Margueron’s inves- lop, “The pair of gold earrings from Ur, grave 114, and tigation of the Standard of Ur; and F. Vallat’s penetrating remarks on the technique of granulation”, 205-212; R. analysis of Neo-Elamite history and chronology. The range Mayer-Opificius, “Feldzeichen”, 213-226; P.R.S. Moorey, of subject matter and the high quality of most of the contri- “A stone replica of an Early Dynastic III royal hairstyle”, butions, combined with the challenging perspectives offered 227-238; D. Schmandt-Besserat, “Art, writing and narrative here make this a volume which will certainly enjoy a long in Mesopotamia”, 315-322; U. Seidl, “Ein Kopf sucht seine shelf life. Festschriften are, as most contributors and editors Herkunft”, 323-328); Anatolia (B. André-Salvini and M. would admit, ticklish beasts. With the best will in the world Salvini, “Fixa cacumine montis. Nouvelles considérations sur they are not always a resounding success, either because their le relief rupestre de la prétendue ‘Niobe’ du mont Sipyle”, subject matter is too diverse, or because the contributions end 7-20; D. Homès-Fredericq, “Le sceau de Hanana, fils de Har- up being trivial and written without the conviction and enthu- ranaia, de la ville de Ma}allanate”, 133-136; N. Özgüç, “Seal siasm of a journal article, or because the audience is not well impressions on Kültepe documents notarized by native defined. It is a measure of the Near Eastern archaeological rulers”, 267-278; T. Özgüç, “An obsidian storehouse close community’s devotion to and admiration fo Madame Spycket to the temples built by Anitta, king of Nesa”, 279-286); Syria that so much thought has gone into making the vast majority and the Levant (D. Beyer, “A propos d’une terre cuite de of the papers presented to her true contributions to the field. Sfiré”, 21-26; M.G. Masetti-Rouault et O. Rouault, “Une With her erudition, one might hope that she herself will take harpé à Terqa”, 181-198; P. Matthiae, “Nouveaux up some of the more contentious issues broached in the témoignages de sculpture paléosyrienne du grand sanctuaire papers dedicated to her, thereby enriching the academic d’Ishtar à Ebla”, 199-204; B. Muller, “Une nouvelle ‘mai- debate which she has done so much to foster during her long son à chambre haute’ en terre cuite du marché des antiqui- and distinguished career. tés”, 239-2574; A. Nunn, “Quelques statuettes égyptisantes de Sidon”, 255-266; N. Pons et H. Gasche, “Du Cassite à Sydney, March 1998 D.T. POTTS Mari”, 287-298; Ö Tunca , “Une statuette d’adorant de l’âge du Bronze Ancien provenant de Tell Amarna (Syrie)”, 381- ** 384); the Gulf (Y. Calvet, “Une empreinte de cylindre-sceau * de Failaka (Koweit)”, 57-64; E. Haerinck, “Quelques mon- naies pré-islamiques à monogramme provenant d’Arabie du FOERSTER, G. — Masada V: The Yigael Yadin Excava- sud-est”, 113-118); and Elam (M.-J. Steve and H. Gasche, tions 1964-65, Art and Architecture. (Pp XXVI + 238, “L’accès à l’Audelà, à Suse”, 329-348; F. Tallon, “Clavette 321 Text Figures, line drawings and photographs) with de char en fer”, 367-374; I.J. Winter, “Artistis’ trial pieces XVII coloured plates). The Israel Exploration Society, from Susa?”, 397-406). Jerusalem 1995. In addition there are several studies which are broadly Near This book is a very clear, thorough and effective treatment Eastern, drawing on a wide range of examples from diverse of the art and architecture embodied in Herod’s fortified 521 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 522 palace at Masada, a salient and unapproachable mesa over- tural mouldings in stone (i.e. columns and entablature) and looking the western shore of the Dead Sea. The site is also decorated pavements (i.e. mosaics and opus sectile). He then famous in history for the dramatic events which later took speaks of the main building complexes individually — i.e. place there (in 73 AD) when the Romans beseiged and cap- the two palaces, the two baths, the store rooms, the hostel, tured it to bring the First Jewish War to an end. Notable and the fortifications; discussing in each case their design both interesting though the material remains at Masada are in overall and the separate elements. Professor Foerster does not themselves, this does not circumscribe the significance of the deal with questions of building construction (for this see Vol book. It has a wider significance than its immediate subject III). matter — and something needs to be said about it on various The merit of Professor Foerster’s work is clearly centred counts. Furthermore in this wider context it reflects credit on in the riguer of the comparative material adduced. Here Pro- others as well as on its author. fessor Foerster had available to him the following bodies of The excavations at Masada under the direction of General material (radiating outwards from the centre so to speak): Yadin were carried out in two winter seasons (of ca 4-5 (1) other Herodian buildings months each) and completed more than 30 years ago. Gen- (2) other buildings in this region (i.e. in Palestine and Ara- eral Yadin (1917-84) unfortunately died 14 years ago. He bia thus had about 20 years remaining to him after the end of the (3) buildings in neighbouring regions (e.g. in the Levant) excavations to publish the results of his field work. In the (4) buildings in other regions (e.g. in the Western provinces) upshot General Yadin as a person of eminence in the politi- (5) metropolitan buildings in Rome and Alexandria as a spe- cal world as in the academic world found himself subject to cial case. so many demands that he could not advance the publication And it must be recognised with appreciation that he has of Masada (as also of some other important excavations). worked his way systematically through all these possibilities. Conscious of his responsibility the General confided by his As an indication of this it may be of some interest to note will the care for publication into the hands of a small stand- down an outline selection of the sites he has drawn on for ing committee. This committee acted with great wisdom and comparison. dispatch. They measured out the findings of the Masada Almost all Herod’s buildings are noticed e.g. The Excavation into five main subjects: semitic epigraphy and Herodeion, the palaces at Jericho, Kypros etc., the buildings numismatics; classical epigraphy; description of the excava- at Caesarea. For other buildings in Palestine and Arabia there tions and building remains; the several groups of finds; the are the Nabataean monuments at Petra and Medain Saleh, art and architecture. They then found capable scholars to pre- also buildings in Jerusalem, Samaria, Marissa etc. Buildings pare the final publication of each subject. This book has in neighbouring provinces include those from many sites in brought the great task to a satisfactory conclusion within 10 Asia Minor, e.g. the Ionian sites of Ephesos, Priene, Miletos years, which is highly commendable on the part of the organ- etc.; island sites in the Aegaean: Delos, Samothrake, etc.; ising committee and on the authors alike. Macedonian and Greek sites: Pella, Olynthos, Olympia etc.; The present volume has come out very well from this further afield are sites in Cyrenaica, e.g. Ptolemais; Arsameia process: Yadin left nothing of substance relating to the build- in Kommagene and on to Dura Europos, Seleucia etc. in the ing remains at Masada, so the publication work was started East. While in the western provinces are obvious sites like virtually from scratch by the field architect Netzer and the art Pompeii, Herculaneum etc. in Italy, but also the sites in historian Foerster, both of whom had been present during the Provence e.g. Glanum. As for the metropolitan cities of Rome excavations. They divided up the program so that Netzer pro- and Alexandria Foerster has drawn on all the significant vided the exhaustive stone by stone account of the remains buildings e.g. the Augustan villas (cf. the Farnesina) and (Vol III), leaving Foerster free to concentrate on the com- Temples (e.g. Temple of Castor) at Rome; and the necro- paritive “Baugeschichte” and “Kunstgeschichte” as a com- poleis at Alexandria. mentary on Netzer’s contribution. Foerster has made an This battery of close stylistic analysis is brought to bear exemplary publication from his part of the work. His cover- on buildings already closely dated from historical sources as age of the remains is thorough and systematic, while his com- the work of a single generation. Thus the basic aim of Pro- parative treatment is very wide ranging. Furthermore the fessor Foerster is both to refine the building history of the illustrations — fine architectural drawings and detailed pho- site (i.e. to establish some sequence in the order of construc- tographs (including a number of coloured plates) are of high tion of the various buildings) and/or to establish possible standard. alternative influences for the design and ornament of the dif- Professor Foerster deals with the Herodian buildings at ferent buildings. As an extension to the latter aim is the pos- Masada — i.e. the work of the last generation of the pre- sibility of identifying different building teams of varying (for- Christian era (ca 40 BC-4 BC). There are other building eign?) origins operative on the different buildings. In all the remains at Masada — possibly Hasmonean, certainly crude detailed historical knowledge of the period strings clothes work of the Zealots during their “last stand” and also Byzan- lines on which to hang the stylistic analysis. For buildings tine structures. However Professor Foerster considers these erected in a region now generally reckoned to be an art only in so far as they are incidental to the Herodian build- province of Alexandria by a monarch who maintained the ings. As at the present state of excavation there are nine or closest personal and political ties with Rome and its rulers, ten Herodian building complexes clearly identifiable at the inevitable speculation is severally to identify derivatives Masada, some of them very finely ornamented. Professor of Alexandria or of Rome. Foerster covers this material by taking the Kunstgeschichte In truth when considered in close detail there is a surpris- first, and then the Baugeschichte. He divides the architectural ing variety in the art and architecture of the buildings of ornament into (painted) plaster decoration comprehending Masada. Whether it is possible thereby to recognise fine both mural decoration and architectural mouldings; architec- chronological and stylistic distinctions is another matter. At 523 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LV N° 3/4, Mei-Augustus 1998 524 any rate this is a viable possibility. As evidence of these cir- ster’s treatment of the significant new material revealed by cumstances some of the distinctions which appear to the the Masada Excavations modified/amplified the long line of writer are noted below as parallel observations to those of speculation seeking to explain developments in Greek and Professor Foerster. Roman architecture manifested principally in the hellenised The two palaces are very interesting for their completely Orient? It will not be possible to answer this question by way contrary building design. The Western Palace (apparently of a brief conclusion but it will nevertheless be useful to put older) is a traditional, completely rectangular complex, where Foerster’s work in its proper historical setting. several suites of rooms to the same formula can be recog- During the latter part of the 18th century the remains of nised. The type is found in domestic planning from late clas- Pompeii began to be unearthed and fine painted plaster dec- sical times at e.g. Priene and Olynthos (cf. the Pastas and the oration on villa walls showed picturial representations of Prostas house) and in Pompeii (the Alae house). However ancient buildings, both as a setting to, e.g. mythological, there are also echoes of it in the Parthian East (e.g. at Seleu- scenes and as a genre of ornament in themselves. The build- cia) and accordingly both eastern and western antecedents ings shown were of complex design and their architectural have been discussed together on occasion (e.g. in connection decoration was represented in close detail. As familiarity with with the origin of the Iwan). On the other hand the (later) classical architecture developed it was soon apparent that the Northern palace is a jeu d’esprit, a tour de force of Baroque buildings depicted on these Pompeian wall paintings bore lit- planning. The Hanging Palace of Masada, it is a true “desert tle resemblance to the normal type of classical buildings house” of some ancient Frank Lloyd Wright. This building (including those of Pompeii). The wall paintings showed two provides a convincing real background (seeing is believing!) storied buildings with domically roofed, round structures to the scenic architecture of e.g. the Petra tomb façades. apparently standing on or above the ground floor roofs. Also The various elements of architectural ornament at Masada the ornament was unusual, e.g. capitals, while of a foliate have an even wider ranging interest. They include e.g. design, virtually never conformed to the familiar Corinthian engaged orders deriving from internal colonnades featuring type. Even more strange, much of this careful drawing the cordiform angle pier; Corinthian capitals both orthodox seemed to represent unfinished masonry work — ornament and heterodox, together with examples of draught form only draughted out in a preliminary way, and wall blocks not (Bossenform) Corinthian (= the Nabataean Capital); entabla- fair faced, etc. Then early in the next century the site of Petra, ture generally showing triglyph friezes with decorated capital city of the Nabataeans, was discovered in the remote metopes; and cornices with and without modillions. Addi- rocky fortresses near the border of Arabia, south east of the tionally there is much painted wall plaster of the First Dead Sea. Here countless monumental tombs were cut in the (Masonry) style and both opus sectile and mosaic pavements rocks so that the cliff faces were carved with rows of build- of high quality. It is indeed striking that most of the ing façades. And, how unexpected! The overall design and Corinthian detailing at Masada is orthodox Vitruvian style, also ornamental details carved in the rock closely ressembled rather than the heterodox forms so prevalent at the time in what was seen at Pompeii. In 1866 the architect Hittorf neighbouring regions. Since Herod had the closest political directed attention to this strange consonance between two far association with Augustus, does this reflect his Roman con- distant and apparently unrelated places, attempting to find nection? Moreover where the familiar heterodox forms do some historical contact between them to explain the circum- occur, in almost every instance such details are found to be stances. However, with the passage of time and with a spe- worked in plaster, not carved in stone. Does this mean that cific problem in view, it soon became apparent that what was the Masada plasterers were brought from Alexandria (or at issue was not an isolated and anomolous resemblance Petra), while the stone masons were locals (cf. the assembly between two sites, but rather a generalised type manifested marks in Hebrew letters) working under the direction of very strikingly at Petra and Pompeii (because of the favor- Roman master masons? The non-natural (expressionist) able accidents of preservation). detailing of the acanthus leaves on the orthodox capitals is By the end of the century much scholarly attention was after the manner of many Roman (or Italian) Corinthian cap- being directed on to these questions. This came from three itals as noted by Ronczewski. different quarters: study and classification of the styles of If these glimpses indicate something of the range of Pro- mural decoration at Pompeii (Mau, Ippel etc.), studies and fessor Foerster’s concerns in this book, equally they show typological analyses of the rock cut façades at Petra and that these concerns are subsumed under one of the over-arch- Medain Salah (Brünnow & Domasczewski, Jaussen & Savi- ing concerns of Greek and Roman architecture during the pre- gnac, Puchstein, Dalman, Kohl etc.); and also investigation sent century. And in mentioning this it may be possible to of the Graeco-Roman remains (principally rock cut tombs) at obtain another impression of Professor Foerster’s work from Alexandria where similar ornamental motifs occured (Thier- a more removed view point. In conformity with what seems sch, Pagenstecher, Studniczka, Caspari etc.). Some of these to have emerged as a standard Israeli approach to art and scholars were accomplished theorists and their cogitations, archaeology Professor Foerster’s treatment of Masada is proceeding from different view points, more or less exposed direct and pragmatic. He examines the particular features all the theoretical possibilities inherent in this scene — so manifested and discusses them very effictively in the light of brightly yet narrowly lit, and so different from manuels of the comparitive evidence available. His findings, however, classical Greek architecture. Bearing in mind that originally do not lead him on to reconsidering and raising basic theo- most of the evidence for this style came not from actual ries of art history. Certainly his report on Masada is none the buildings but from pictorial representations of buildings, there worse for that (in fact, probably much better). However the were two obvious approaches: to seek to explain the style as, very worth of Professor Foerster’s coverage tends to raise in essentials, art — or, on the other hand, as architecture. such issues, when his subject matter falls centrally within a Since the bulk of the first known manifestations were repre- field of so much theorising. In what way has Professor Foer- sentational, not unnaturally the earlier explanations tended to 525 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 526 explain the phenomena as a style of decorative art (interior rich Reimer Verlag, Berlin, 1997. (34 cm, 2 Abb. 131, decor etc.), self subsistent and not closely derived from real 42≈4 Tafeln). ISBN 3-496-02627-8. DM 128,-. buildings (cf. e.g. scene painting). In this way the salient dif- The present book is the first of a series of studies that pre- ferences from the norms of classical architecture were less sent the results of a long-term project on the old Iranian car- disconcerting. However with the vastly increased and more avan tracks and the various buildings related to these routes. widespread archaeology of the present century, more and The project covers all of modern Iran. Preliminary reports on more evidence appeared of real buildings manifesting these the project were published elsewhere.1) The first of the final features (e.g. in Cyrenaica and in Cyprus), so that increas- volumes, discussed here, covers the northwestern and west- ingly it has come to be accepted that this style, once known ern provinces of Iran, namely West and East Âzerbâijân, from pictorial representation, is in fact an architectural style Gilân, Zanjân, Kurdistân, Krimânshâh (Bâhtarân), Khor- strongly manifested in regions connected with Alexandria. ramâbâd (Luristân), Hamadân, Mâzandarân, and Tehrân (the As this perception took shape enquiry was directed to province around the capital). establishing the genesis of this style which flourished during The author of the book first introduces the various routes late Hellenistic times in the Greek East. Roux demonstrated traversing the separate provinces, and then discusses the the existence of a school of architectural design in the Argolid extant caravanserais and other buildings (bridge, cisterns, (cf. Bassae and Epidauros) which displayed the ornamental etc.) along these routes. Most of the buildings were surveyed, motifs of the style. While a very differently oriented enquiry and drawings are included. The volume includes many other by Kalpaxis investigated the far reaching question of the pre- illustrations and photographs. The book also includes refer- sentation of ashlar masonry with an aspect other than fair ences to other finds made along the tracks, including some faced. prehistoric sites. Whereas all this work as a technical matter of stone dress- When reading the descriptions of the present-day state of ing is unfinished, much of it is clearly finished according to the buildings, we can hardly be grateful enough to the archae- its own aesthetics — and Kalpaxis undertook the task of sep- ologists and others carrying out the programme, since most of arating the later style from the formative technics in which it the caravanserais, if still extant, have greatly deteriorated, and originated. Both these studies consider origins in the 5th and many more will simply disappear before long, as new victims 4th centuries BC. Equally the “tholos” inspired curvilinear to road building, urbanisation, or simple decay. The reader building design in two stories was shown to have late classi- also realises how important it is to study the ancient caravan cal antecedents (Vallois). Next, since a classical Greek back- tracks, since they show the route along which the Iranians and ground could be found for elements characteristic of Oriental others used to communicate with each other, the extent of traf- Hellenistic Architecture, the question of transmission became fic, etc. It is clear from the book that these routes were not a matter of corcern; and here again generalists like Weickert, necessarily identical to the ones modern traffic follows today. Dellbrueck and Ronczewski advanced various views. The study of the buildings sheds light on building tech- Finally must be mentioned a vexed factor — that of names. niques, and architecture in general, of the pre-modern age. The term Baroque has become deeply involved in this liter- Particularly impressive are the caravanserais of the Saffavid ature (Ceschi, Lyttleton). “Baroque” like other stylistic des- period. The drawings which accompany the descriptions of ignations (cf. Gothic) came into use as a pejorative. However the buildings often provide a detailed impression of the con- definitive or useful it may be for the 17th century art and structions when still in use. architecture of Western Europe, in view of this background The author may be congratulated with his work, and that it is by no means clear that it has helped the study of Orien- of his colleagues, and we may all look forward to the suc- tal Hellenistic architecture. It is possible to point to occasions ceeding volumes. where it is used to infer analogues and, on the other hand, where it is used to infer homologues — with the possibility Research School CNWS Willem VOGELSANG of much shifting of ground. It also brings into focus the Leiden University diverse constituents of this style: while there may be some January 1998 basis for applying baroque as a description for curvilinear, multi-storied buildings, the style of architectural ornament (the heterodox Corinthian capital) is Mannerist (according to all aesthetic canons) not Baroque. In short the basic theoretical questions governing the KORTE AANKONDIGING modalities of the evolution (transmission) of classical Greek architecture into Oriental Hellenistic architecture still demand CATALOGUE DES SCEAUX, Camées et bulles sassanides. consideration. An essay by Professor Foerster on these gen- — I. Collection générale. R. Gyselen, Paris 1993. eral issues based on his meticulous documentation of the Ce livre bien produit, avec de bonnes photos, nous fait buildings at Masada (with their firm and narrow chronology) connaître les sceaux, bulles et camées sassanides de la col- would be widely appreciated. lection générale du ‘Cabinet des Médailles de la Bibliothèque Nationale et du Musée du Louvre’. Le catalogue proprement Avignon, February 1998 G.R.H. WRIGHT dit est précédé d’une introduction brève sur l’histoire des col- ** * 1) W. Kleiss, Karawanenwege in Iran (Stand der Forschung 1986) mit Kartenstand 1988, AMI 20, 1987, pp. 327ff.; W. Kleiss/M.Y. Kiani, Iran- KLEISS, Wolfram — Karawanenbauten in Iran, Teil II. ian Caravanserais I (in Farsi) (Tehran 1362/1984); II (Tehran 1367/1989). W. Kleiss/M.Y. Kiani, Iranian Caravanserais III (in Farsi and English (Materialien zur Iranischen Archäologie, Band 3). Diet- (Tehran 1374/1995). 527 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LV N° 3/4, Mei-Augustus 1998 528 lections ainsi que de définitions de la terminologie. Une sec- lage of Europe. The use of this superlative was presumable tion importante, concise, traite l’iconographie d’une manière prompted not only to facilitate fund raising, but also to resist très bien organisée (pp. 34-55). En somme, une introduction the wide spread theory that the early Neolithic cultures of qui est admirable par sa densité, clairté et charactère infor- prehistoric Europe were mere dim offshoots of developments mative. that took place in Anatolia and the Near East, as exemplified Les objects sont présentés en sept classes bien rangées et by the then newly discovered and most spectacular “town” organisées, ce que facilite énormement l’usage du livre. Bien of Çatal Hüyük. The findings from Nea Nikomedeia were qu’il aille sans dire que la période sassanide est éloignée seized to refute this diffusionist idea and to propound in stead de la période des Assyriens et Babyloniens, il est toujours Europe’s independence in matters of socio-economic devel- frappant pour un lecteur comme le soussigné, archéologue du opment. A look at the composition of the team indicates that Proche Orient ancien, de voir comment certains motifs ico- an important role was given to natural science. This prere- nographiques ont persisté pendant plusieurs siècles, même quisite for the study of prehistoric farming communities was millénaires. Sans doute, l’auteur aurait pu commenter ce fait not new in West European archaeology of the sixties, and had dans une autre forme que celle de catalogue. Par example, been successfully introduced a decade earlier by R.J. Braid- un type comme le «gayomard» (v. p. 39f. et planches III- wood in Near Eastern prehistory. V), pourrait ultérieurement être dérivé, à travers Asklépios When reading the volume at hand, one will look in vain et Hercule, du «héros avec les 6 tresses» (le Lahmu) méso- for the excitement of the first hours. And rightly so, because potamien. Les deux figures juxtaposées des nos. 10.E 5,6 it has turned out that the above mentioned superlative “old- sont comparables aux gardiens de porte de la mésopotamie est” was only based on one or two out of range radiocarbon ancienne (comme le sont les nos. 11.12 et 11.13, contre l’in- determinations, which were already met with scepticism by terprétation donnée p. 41, deux femmes, Elisabeth et Marie). some. Aussi dans les scènes présentant un aigle ou lion attaquant The first volume (of an expected series of three) contains une bête, il n’est pas inconcevable que les artisans auraient important topics such as Stratigraphy, Structures and Archi- vu de vieux sceaux, d’après lesquels ils ont gravé leurs pièces tecture (by Gillian Pyke), The Early Neolithic Pottery’s Tech- (cf. no. 33, thème bien connue dès la troisième millénaire nology, Typology and Functional Analysis (by Paraskevi av. JC). Yiouni), with an Introduction by the excavator R.J. Rodden On pourrait remarquer qu’aujourd’hui une publication de and a Preface by the editor K.A. Warden. bulles doit présenter non seulement la face scellée de l’ob- In the introduction Rodden refers to excavation methods ject; dans ce cas, l’auteur se contente de discuter brèvement used by Waterbolk and Modderman at the Bandkeramik sites (p. 59) l’utilisation des bulles («autour des liens qui ficelaient in the Netherlands as examples employed at Nea Nikomedeia. des colis»). Une discussion illustrée serait peut-être préfé- Indeed, the structural remains of Neo Nikomedeia — mere rable pour mieux parvenir à une connaissance des aspects features such as pits and postholes in a thin cultural deposit socio-économiques des civilisations anciennes. Néanmoins, — are comparable to those of the Linear Bandkeramik sites le livre de R. Gyselen nous amène d’une manière admirable in the southern Netherlands. This permits one to level down vers ce but. the deposit by artificial layers of earth, when the layers to be removed are not too thick; the features are drawn after each D.J.W. MEIJER removal, and the accuracy of the recording is satisfactory. But as the layers removed at N.N. (called spits) were approx. ** 20 cms thick each, and drawings few and apparently unpro- * fessional, the recording of horizontal and vertical features cannot be sufficient. RODDEN, R.J. & K.A. WARDLE — Nea Nikomedeia I: This lack of accuracy (by the excavators) not only ham- The Excavation of an Early Neolithic Village in North- pered the analysis of the stratigraphy as presented by Gillian ern Greece 1961-1964. The Excavation and the Ceramic Pyke, but will inevitably impede typochronological interpre- Assemblage. British School at Athens, London, 1996 (25 tation of all find categories still to be published. On the other cm, XX, 212, 17 pl.). ISBN 0-904887-19-7. hand, thanks to new radiocarbon determinations, it is clear It is far from exceptional that excavation reports appear now that the remaining archaeological levels, attributed to the decades after the fieldwork was closed. Yet, publication of Greek early Neolithic, show N.N. as a shortly occupied set- the first volume on archaeological research at Nea tlement, so that time had little impact on typological vari- Nikomedeia in Greek Macedonia came as a surprise for those ability of the find categories. who have a keen interest in Southeast European prehistory. Pyke had the difficult task of reconstructing the stratigra- Nea Nikomedeia is the name of a prehistoric settlement phy with help of the rather limited documentation at hand. located on the edge of marshy lands west of Thessaloniki. She distinguished a number of groups of structures, then tried Originally a tell settlement (?), its demolition gave rise to the to define the number of piled up structures of each group, and excavations in question. The up to 70cms thick occupation finally to determine the horizontal relationship among the dif- debris of the remaining part were investigated in 1961, 1963 ferent structures. This resulted in the recognition of 3, maybe and 1964. This destruction included an invaluable advantage 4 building horizons (called phases) at the lower part of the for the investigation. Because, due to the direct accessibility settlement. of the lower occupation levels a considerable part (ca In the chapter on architecture the level of field recording 2000m2) of the settlement could be dug down to virgin soil. becomes awkward: the lack of accurate description and exact Soon after the excavations had started, when occupation location of features as hearths or ovens, clay lined (?) pits debris attributed to the Greek early and late Neolithic were etc. prevents the reader from getting a detailed picture of the found, Nea Nikomedeia was proclaimed to be the oldest vil- settlement. 529 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 530

The chapters on N.N.’s Early Neolithic pottery are a care- (2) This new more complex society is analysed into the fol- ful and detailed account of readable length. Most important lowing functional distribution of settlement: Primary aspects of pottery analysis, such as technology, typology and (urban) centres, e.g. Kition: Secondary (town) centres, function are discussed and adequately illustrated by means of e.g. Sinda; Tertiary (sanctuary) sites e.g. Myrtou Pigad- drawings, graphs and photos. Unfortunately, the well-known hes; peripheral agricultural and mining villages, e.g. pitfall of presenting an surfeit of tiny painted sherds could Apliki. This scheme is somewhat similar to that proposed not be avoided: half of the illustrated pages show fragments by Keswani based on “an analysis of the mortuary data of hardly reconstructable painted patterns. from Enkomi”, and it extends the simple “Gateway” In the chapter on stratigraphy it was already said that no geographical analysis of Stanley Price (v p. 51, fig. 4) change in the pottery sequence or small finds was noticed. (3) The modus operandi (or economic basis) of this division This indeed is plausible if one assumes that the settlement’s lies in a two-way (reciprocal) movement of staple prod- occupation had lasted for a short period. ucts, (raw materials — mineral and agricultural, and util- The radiocarbon dates, 16 all together including the old itarian goods — e.g. coarse ware pottery on the one ones, are given in an appendix, unfortunately without com- hand; and luxury (or status) goods — e.g. metal objects, ment. This is felt as a shortcoming, because the reader who fine ware pottery, ceremonial/administrative parapherna- remembers the reports of N.N.’s discovery in the past, is enti- lia etc., on the other. tled to be informed about its real position within the chronol- (4) The existence of reasonably evolved institutions to ogy of Southeast Europe. administer these processes of exchange and distribution Finally, it remains for me to thank the authors, who ful- is attested by seal impressions which, in turn, by their filled the ungrateful job of reinterpreting and publishing data iconography demonstrate a cultural orientation towards from an ill documented excavation. As excavation reports on the Aegaean. the prehistory of SE Europe are rare, this book constitutes in The foregoing analysis illuminates but does not answer the spite of its imperfections a useful tool. abiding question whether Cyprus during the period was a more or less united political entity or was divided into a num- Leiden, January 1998 J. ROODENBERG ber of more or less independent entities (cf. the long contin- ued dispute concerning the referent of Alasia). ** In Chap 6 entitled “A Landscape Overview” Bernard * Knapp, in effect, attempts in a summary way to dovetail the above discussion together with concepts and questions pre- KNAPP, A. Bernard — The Archaeology of Late Bronze viously discussed in more familiar terms, e.g. urbanisation Age Cypriot Society: The Study of Settlement, Survey copper-industry, historical viscissitudes (destruction levels), and Landscape. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, 1997. religion and funerary practices etc. And he concludes with (23 cm, XIII, 108). ISBN 0-85261-573-6. some general opinions regarding the virtue of approaching This book has two purposes: to say something about the the study of Late Bronze Age society in Cyprus through a organisation of society in Cyprus during the later second Mil- concern with “landscape”. lenium B.C., and to say everything (in outline) about a type Such are the points, interesting and sensible enough, which of archaeology which provides information on such issues. In Bernard Knapp makes with respect to the organisation of the interest of positivism it is better to discuss the contents of society in Late Bronze Age Cyprus. However the statement the book in the above order, although in the book itself the of these ideas is not the final purport of the book. The book presentation is in the reverse order with the disquisition on consist of two parts and it is Knapp’s purpose to show clearly archaeological proceedures comprising the first and larger part that these conclusions are not derived from a knowledge of of the Book (chaps 1-4) and the substantive pronouncements the ancient sources (literary and epigraphic) such as Knapp on the pattern of Bronze Age Cypriote society comprising the himself considered in his doctoral disertation, nor from evi- second and more reduced part of the book (chaps 5, 6). Here dence accrueing from excavations. These ideas arise out of it should be noted that the main title of the book, although what is called with varying emphasis Settlement and/or Land- ostensibly designating a unitary subject, is not misleading scape archaeology, which proceeds not by excavation but by since, like history, “archaeology” has a double semantic surface observation garnered in Field Survey operations. To field: it refers equally to the material remains of the past and indicate the nature, origin and development of this procee- to the discipline(s) of its study. In any event, if the direct pro- dure is the purpose of the first (lengthier) part of Knapp’s nouncement about the material remains have any validity, it book; and the justification of the proceedure as a/the signif- should be possible (preferable) to examine them on their own icant way of arriving at this understanding is the implicit pur- merits — and presumably the substantive component is still pose of the book as a whole.What is to said on this account? of more immediate interest than the proceedural. There is no doubt that Knapp has devoted great care and What, then, have Bernard Knapp’s researches revealed concern in this interest, which is clearly one to which he is about the social organisation of Cyprus ca 1600 B.C. - 1000 personally committed. Apparently there is a very extensive B.C.? In Chap. 5 entitled Settlement and Society, Bernard (current) literature devoted to the subject and Knapp has sea- Knapp states: soned his every statement with varying references to it. (1) By ca 1600 B.C. the previous social pattern as revealed Indeed in this connection it is worth taking some note of the by settlement was largely changed so that the principal appended bibliography (pp. 73-102). In the first place this sites were now on the coast. This evidences that Cypri- reflects very accurately the weighting of the text. The items ote society had developed sufficiently (economically) that cited fall into two separate groups: those dealing with Cypri- it could and did play a part in the wider world scene of ote Bronze Age archaeology (in the conventional sense) and the Aegaean and Eastern Mediterranean. those dealing with the nature and significance of Landscape 531 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LV N° 3/4, Mei-Augustus 1998 532

/ Settlement archaeology. The former are what might be Now one thing these citations show clearly is that the called à posteriori studies — normal empirically based authors cited do not habitually express themselves clearly; archaeological reports about material remains, i.e. data. The indeed at times they would appear to be incapable of plain latter are à priori studies. They are expressions of theory, (significant) speech. In any event for the most part they sub- doctrine, dogma — i.e. of principles. The bibliography con- scribe to the semantic principles of Humpty Dumpty, as out- tains ca 400 items of which ca 150 refer to empirically lined to Alice. The other (perhaps complementary) fact derived data and ca 250 refer to à priori principles. This revealed is that whatever meanings have been asserted for the exactly parallels the division of the text with its 2 chapters concepts (settlement archaeology, landscape archaeology, on Cypriote archaeology and 4 on general landscape archae- archaeological survey) these are subject to much argument. ology. Befitting their abstract theme the geographical ambit The 250 items cited by Knapp are very largely a record of of the latter studies is universal and the items cited are not internecine polemics. This much is apparent even when the restricted to those emanating from an Eastern Mediterraenan nature of the entities disputed remain unclear. Doubtless — Middle Eastern Bronze Age archaeology. They spring those familiar with this body of literature cited by Knapp in from all periods and all places — Classical Archaeology, this connection may find his survey of it very penetrating. New World Archaeology, Pacific Island (Oceanic) studies, However those largely ignorant of it will not have the expec- Mediaeval and Modern studies. There can be few people con- tations realised which are raised by his preliminary remarks nected with or interested in Cypriote archaeology who have of intention. read the smallest percentage of the theoretical works on Rather than risk venturing into a morass, it may be of some Landscape Archaeology well known to Bernard Knapp. interest to attempt a characterisation of settlement archaeo- (Some readers may be comforted in their ignorance of this ogy / landscape archaeology as outlined by Knapp by way of literature by the fatuous nature of certain extracts from it a simple comparison with the status quo ante bellum civile. which Knapp includes as chapter mottos in his book.) A generation or two ago (at the middle of the century) all was Be all this as it may, for varying reasons many people may reasonably well if the field archaeologist had an extensive well find the first part of Bernard Knapp’s book to be in knowledge of material remains which he was able to articu- prospect, of equal or greater interest than the substantive part, late into studies and reports via some (slight) familiarity with already outlined — not least, because it promises enlighten- concepts derived from historical / anthropological enquiry. ment on an entire field of archaeological studies and procee- Currently the see-saw has swung into its opposite position. dure which may be unfamiliar to them. The sub-title of the All is reasonably well if the field archaeologist has an book specifies the study of Settlement, Landscape and Sur- extended knowledge of the conceptual literature developed vey. How are settlement and landscape to be understood in for interpreting the remains of ancient society, which he is archaeology and what is the difference between them? And able to articulate into monographs and reports via some how are they investigated by (archaeological) survey? Is (slight) practical experience of material remains in the field. there a (“new”) Archaeological Survey specially adapted to Having said this much it should be mentioned that on occa- this end (cf. “intensive survey”)? These are obvious ques- sion when Bernard Knapp speaks in his own voice, these tions which occur immediately and Bernard Knapp explicitly asides are mostly reasonable and instructive. In this connec- advertises his intention to answer them — and to do that by tion a very interesting (and unexpected) observation deserves way of developing a most logical approach to the Archaeol- note. Knapp (p. 45), at the end of reference to the views of ogy of Late Bronze Age Cypriote society. He says (p. x) “… others, makes a remark about his own attitude (in practice) it was essential to adopt and develop an explicit theoretical to landscape archaeology. He says he does not wish to pro- framework, this is what I have sought to explicate in Chap 1. ceed by way of quantifying its observations (= alleged data); Furthermore I wanted to place the empirical side of the study stating categorically that this is inappropriate, and only of sig- in its Old World — western Asiatic and Mediterranean — nificance to those adopting a “realist” philosophy of history context, this I have attempted to do in Chap 2 … The back- — i.e. (presumably “direct realist” in modern terms) that spa- ground to settlement archaeology in Cyprus is presented in tio-temporal events are out there independent of man’s reflec- Chap 3, whilst the landscape archaeology of Cyprus is dis- tions and considerations of them, which constitute history and cussed in Chap 4.” Moreover Knapp states that, in the course that these spatio-temporal events have left authoritative evi- of this treatment, “The strategic difference between settle- dence of themselves (by way of material remains); thus, in ment archaeology, landscape archaeology and the ‘landscape effect, asserting the efficacity of a correspondance theory of approach’ are …… discussed in some detail….” (p. ix) historical truth. This is a rather surprising remark since together with “recent surveys, their pitfalls and promise” (p. although contemporary archaeology is addicted to / afflicted x). This is all and more (since an extra entity, “the landscape by theory, this theory is very rarely connected in any way approach”, is thrown in bakshish) than anyone could desire. with well established categories (e.g. of philosophy). It would However the working out of this programme is anything be interesting to know if this statement by Knapp is intended but what the innocent might expect. Whether Knapp is able to refer only to the matters under review or whether it states to define these concepts in words to be understood in their Knapp’s general attitude to Archaeology (even to the philos- everyday, dictionary sense is not evident since he has chosen ophy of archaeology). not to do so. The scheme of exposition he has adopted for In a very short compass Bernard Knapp has produced sev- this part of the book is to proceed by way of (expert) com- eral different things for different people which are worth mentary on the great body (250 items) of technical literature reading: some assessment of Late Bronze Age Urban social cited in the bibliography. That is as the basis of his exposi- organisation in Cyprus for everyone; a summary review of tion he sets short passages from these works in apposition or the vast body of modern archaeology for those who know succession and simply makes reference to others, articulating about it; and a comprehensive biographical index of it for this with summary glosses. those who do not. This work is a short book which induces 533 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 534 long consideration — a welcome inversion of the common heart of the island and during Bucholz’ day was still removed syndrome. from building and agricultural development. Furthermore, to all appearances there is not a uniform overlay of Roman Avignon, February 1998 G.R.H. WRIGHT remains. On the other hand it is located immediately by an ancient mining centre; and was also renowned in antiquity ** for its sanctuaries. (Since Tamassos lies almost at the exact * geographical centre of the island, it may be wondered if it did not constitute the Cypriote Delphi). Professor Bucholz’ book is presented in a very direct logical way, so it is best to BUCHOLZ, H.-G., & K. UNTIEDT — Tamassos. Ein anti- comment on it by following through its presentation. kes Königreich auf Zypern. pp. 129 + 75 of illustrations, Bucholz begins with the historical geography framework, both photographs and line drawings [= SIMA Pocket moving from Cyprus to the Tamassus area (this includes a Book No. 136]. Paul Aströms Förlag. Jonseret, 1996. woeful suggestion of the boundaries of the ancient kingdom The old Cypriote kingdoms have glamour. Literary and expressed in terms of modern villages). There is also an out- epigraphic sources indicate for them a moving story as small line of the ancient road system. Then follows the History of part players in the central dramas of ancient history. While Excavation at Tamassos which is a long one beginning in multitudes of fine art objects found principally in tombs tes- Turkish times, 150 years ago with the sensational circum- tify to their extreme wealth, yet there is a virtual absence of stances surrounding the discovery of the famous bronze head any ‘real property’ — i.e. in situ archaeological remains of (and other relics) called the Chatsworth Apollo. With the temple, tomb and tower. The sites of the capital cities are British occupation in 1879 there began better informed and located quite accurately — Salamis, Kition, Amathous, more methodical investigations, represented above all by Paphos, Marion, Idalion, etc. Why is it that a busy archaeo- those of the German Max Ohnefalsch Richter, a man of very logical schedule extending back well over a century has fur- superior talents and energy. He contributed much to the nished so little building remains? Strangely a basic reason is understanding of the old Cypriote Kingdoms in general, and a virtual U turn in Cypriote settlement history. nowhere more so than at Tamassos. For ten years (1885- For three quarters or more of its (10,000 year) long history 1894) Ohnefalsch Richter concerned himself with both the settlement in Cyprus were not rooted to the spot, as in the sanctuaries and the cemeteries at Tamassos. (And to some neighbouring region of the Middle East (thus producing tells, degree this provides the roots of Bucholz’ work, since he has hüyüks, etc.); rather settlement migrated around a favoured been assiduous in re-collecting, as far as possible, the dis- vicinity. This provided both an advantage and a disadvantage persed and unpublished records of Ohnefalsch Richter’s oper- to excavation. On the one hand it rendered sites accessible in ations). Soon afterwards other eminent German archaeolo- area as having no overlay; on the other it deprived the archae- gists (Furtwangler and Dorpfeld) visited and examined ologists of a stratigraphic record of the passage of time. How- Tamassos. However, subsequently Tamassos was left to the ever during the later part of the second millenium B.C., and attention of local villagers (it lies closely confined between most definitely during the first millenium B.C., all this Politiko and Pera) who robbed out blocks of masonry to build changed. Monumental sites put down roots into the soil and their houses, and carried on untroubled the then staple indus- were continually built over age after age. In this way very tries of tomb robbing. Then in 1970 Bucholz took up again generally the buildings remains from the time of the Cypri- the German heritage. His expedition proceeded from the ote Kingdoms (Archaic and Classical) are overlaid by later localities and monuments investigated by Ohnefalsch Richter Ptolemaic and Roman monuments, also in some cases by (tombs and santuaries) to effect more extensive area excava- Byzantine building (as indeed Mediaeval and Modern build- tions within the city; but perhaps even more sigificantly than ing). Thus it is that at Kition the bulk of the ancient site is this to make extensive territorial surveys of the ancient king- under the extended area of modern Larnaka; at Salamis there dom. is a heavy Roman and Byzantine build up; at Kourion the Bucholz gives an itemised summary of his various activi- remains are Ptolemaic, Roman and Byzantine (indeed the site ties both within and outside the city boundaries. His main of the Archaic Royal City is not as yet demonstrated). How- area of excavation was at the northern limits of the city where ever, an exception is the striking one period (classical) strong- the famous Royal Tombs necropolis lies, just beyond the city hold of Vouni. wall. Bucholz bared the trace of the city wall (here destroyed Nonetheless, in spite of the meagre structural remains, the by Persian forces during the Ionic Revolt) and immediately age of the Cypriote Kingdoms has such an éclat, that con- within it a temple area dedicated to Aphrodite, the same siderable attention has been bestowed on it, beginning with referred to by Ovid (Metamorphosis 644ff.). Nearby there are the Swedish Cyprus Expedition. Gjerstad, the leader of the vestiges of a Kybele sanctuary. Here also Bucholz identified Expedition, chose this age for his personal contribution; and remains of early Ptolemaic date. Equally he concerned him- based to some degree on the excavations at Vouni, he pro- self with re-investigating the Royal Tombs necropolis duced an impressive synthetic review (S.C.E. Vol. IV2). More (Chomazoudia). The two royal tombs excavated by Ohne- recently, an historically oriented monograph has appeared: falsch Richter, which were kept open as an antiquities site, Reyes, A.T., Archaic Cyprus. Oxford, 1994. have always remained one of the major show pieces of the In these circumstances the decision of Professor H.-G. island. Conversely operations on and about these tombs have Bucholz to tackle the project of systematic excavations at revealed important new material, including in the last year a Tamassos was a fortunate one. The work began in 1970 and group of Egyptianizing sculptures now prominently displayed continued in a major way for ten years or so. For the study in the Cyprus Museum. Bucholz rightly emphasises the of the Cypriote Kingdoms the site of Tamassos possessed cer- important witness the tombs bear to essential aspects of the tain advantages. Although close to Nicosia, it is remote in the material culture of the Cypriote Kingdoms. This was essen- 535 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LV N° 3/4, Mei-Augustus 1998 536 tially Middle Eastern with Anatolian, Phoenecian and Egypt- graphical, environmental, epigraphical, architectural and all ian connections. kinds of objects. Apparently Bucholz was not able to make extensive area This book is an unusual one, the only publication of sim- excavations in other parts of the ancient city, but he has sup- ilar scope being Maier, F.C. and Karageorghis, V., Paphos, plemented his picture of this Cypriote Kingdom by survey Nicosia 1984. operations in the Chora. He has clarified the sites of the two Although issued in a so-called “Pocket Book” series, it is sanctuaries investigated by Ohnefalsch Richter. The sanctu- a significant contribution to the archaeological literature of ary of Apollo on the left bank of the Pedhiaios between Poli- Cyprus. It answers effectively to several demands. It gives a tiko and Pera; and the sanctuary of Apollo at Phrangissa (= “nutshell” impression of an ancient Cypriote Kingdom which of the Franks) between Pera and Kambia (near copper mines). will be found a useful reference by all matter of fact, com- Also he reports on other sanctuaries within the area which mon sense archaeologists. Equally it provides a superior have yielded important material remains. Whatever the pre- guide book (perhaps, rather, handbook) for those making a cise analysis of the relation, there is no doubt that the numer- serious visit to the site and its environs. This, in fact, fulfils ous sanctuaries grouped about Tamassos depend to some an urgent need, for Tamassos is a very difficult site for a vis- degree on the copper mining industry established hard by. itor to make any sense of. Cut up as it is into hill and dale Accordingly, Professor Bucholz enlisted the cooperation of with a deep and broad river valley and two villages on its a metallurgical specialist to study the profuse evidence of margin, there is no view point whence its definition can be ancient mining. This study revealed that copper mining flor- taken in at a glance. Indeed, as one walks about in it, it is ished in the region from the time of the Kingdom (8th cen- very difficult to keep one bearings. Many people will be tury B.C.) down to the establishment of Christianity ca. 350 grateful to Professor Bucholz for his discrimination in pro- A.D. Bucholz also makes the interesting suggestion, based ducing this book and in turn will attend eagerly the full scale, on the analogy of modern mining (1936-1944) in the area, final publication of his expedition which will elucidate the that precious metals (gold and silver) were extracted. More topography of this famous city. recently a large scale survey directed by B. Knapp has been operating in this area with special concern for ancient Nicosia, March 1997 G.R.H. WRIGHT mining. Professor Bucholz extended his survey in time to provide ** a chronological postscript by way of the Mediaeval monas- * teries and churches established in the region (seeing in these some reflection of the concentration of ancient sanctuaries). There are matters of moment here. First of all there is the PILTZ, Elisabeth — The Von Post Collection of Cypriote Monastery of St. Heracleidios, the proto-bishop of Cyprus Late Byzantine Glazed Pottery. (Studies in Mediter- installed according to report by Paul, Barnabus and Mark dur- ranean Archaeology, Vol. 119). Paul Aströms Förlag, ing their first missionary journey to Cyprus in 45 A.D. This Partille, 1996. (30 cm, 94). ISBN 91-7081-160-1. lies on the south-western margins of the city, and there are In the later Middle Ages, potters in Cyprus produced earth- suggestions of an antecedent Asklepios cult. The remains enware with scratched ornament under transparent glaze. were restored in the sixties to house a community of nuns Typical vessels are bowls of pink or red clay coated with and today form a popular visiting place. When Heracleidios white slip. The decoration was made by scratching or goug- was martyred he was succeeded as Bishop of Tamassos by ing the design through the slip, so that, after the application St. Mnason (cf. Acts 21). Mnason also appears to have car- of a yellowish lead glaze, the lines appear brown and the ried on the tradition of a healing cult. Remains associated background cream. The repertoire ranges from humans, birds with him lie to the north of the city in an ancient cemetery and animals to heraldic and geometric motifs. The glaze is area. Bucholz also deals with the monasteries in the chora, usually enlivened by streaks and splashes of green and notably Machairas — but also with other lesser known foun- brown. Although similar pottery was made in other parts of dations. the eastern Mediterranean (and beyond), Cypriot products are Following on these descriptive recitals Bucholz gives an readily distinguishable on the basis of their shapes and the historical summary, beginning with the earliest pre-pottery style of ornament. Numerous examples have survived intact, Neolithic (Khirokitia Phase). He brings to notice a 15 hectare thanks to the funerary custom of placing a bowl in the grave, site, Kouvellos by Kataliondas. The occurrence of archaeo- near the head of the deceased. logical remains during the various ages is shown on individ- The von Post collection consists of 65 medieval glazed ual distribution maps. However, for the geometric and later vessels acquired in Cyprus by a former Swedish ambassador periods Professor Bucholz adduces all the relevant philologi- and donated by him to the Museum of Mediterranean and cal, literary and epigraphic evidence to produce an interesting Near Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm, in 1968. They joined historical sketch. A notable strength of this book is its con- two similar vessels acquired by the museum in 1953, and all cluding chapter which is of great value. It gives a schedule of 67 objects are presented here. Without exception, they fit the disposition of all important objects from Tamassos, both comfortably in the typology of Cypriot glazed pottery estab- those in the Cyprus Museum and also those in other museums lished by du Plat Taylor and Megaw, and published in the throughout the world (e.g. in England, Germany, Austria, Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus for 1937- Canada and Australia). This information is animated by an 1939. equally useful record accounting for the widespread diaspora; The book begins with three short, rather disjointed intro- Professor Bucholz’ text is accompanied by an incisively ductory sections, on Byzantine glazed pottery, Cypriot glazed chosen, classified bibliography and by 75 pages of illustra- pottery and the pottery in the von Post collection. In the first tions which cover all aspects considered: geographical, topo- section, the author offers a summary of the development of 537 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARABOCA - ISLAM 538

Byzantine glazed pottery and its antecedents. Her sketch P. Calmeyer and by K. Hecker, L. Jakob-Rost and C.B.F. begins unhappily, with the “Constantine bowl” in the British Walker. Museum, which she dates to about A.D. 330 but which is no longer believed to be authentic (see the comment by David D. MEIJER Buckton in Mark Jones, ed., Fake? The Art of Deception, London: British Museum Press, 1990, p. 177, no. 185). The KORTE AANKONDIGING second section lists collections, which contain examples of Cypriot glazed pottery, and some of the find-places of POLISH archaeology in the Mediterranean, VII: Reports Cypriot products outside the island. In the third section, the 1995. Warsaw 1996, Polish Centre of Mediterranean author describes the repertoire of ornament on the pots in the Archaeology, Warsaw University. von Post collection. Volume VII in the series of short reports on Polish exca- The catalogue is the largest and most useful part of the vations and surveys, contains news on work in Egypt book. The entries consist of a description of the object, (Alexandria, Cairo, Marina al-Alamein, Tell Atrib, Deir el together with its date, category according du Plat Taylor and Baharai, and Naqlun); Cyprus’ Nea Paphos; Old Dongola in Megaw and, in some cases, references to parallels. Each the Sudan, and in the Syrian sites of Palmyra and tell Rad description is accompanied by two black and white pho- Shaqrah. tographs (of the interior and exterior of the vessel; two of the objects are also illustrated in colour) and by a drawing that D.M. shows the object in section and elevation. Unfortunately, the drawings do not appear at a consistent scale. The book would have benefitted from rigorous editing. Apart from avoidable errors (e.g., Brittany for Britain on p. 8), the text is marred by inappropriate choices of words, which occasionally obscure the sense. Readers with small Latin and less Greek would have appreciated translations of the quotations from Nicephoros Gregoras, Theophilus and others. In summary, the monograph is an accessible compendium of objects but it cannot be recommended as a study of Cypriot glazed pottery and its connections with other ceramics in the eastern Mediterranean.

Corning, NY, February 1998 David WHITEHOUSE

BEITRÄGE zur altorientalischen Archäologie und Altertums- kunde. — Festschrift für B. Hrouda zum 65. Geburtstag. Hrsg. von P. Calmeyer et al., Wiesbaden 1994 (Harras- sowitz). Fourty essays by friends, colleagues and students — where lies the difference? — have been collected in this handsome volume to honour professor Hrouda. The wide range of his interests is fully reflected in the gamut of topics treated. Thus Sculpture is the subject of contributions by Abou Assaf, Amiet, Blocher, Czichon, Gasche, Matthiae, Miglus, T. Özgüç, Spanos, Spycket and Tunca. Pottery is treated by Bounni & Maqdissi, Emre. Various Iconography subjects are discussed by Braun-Holzinger, Buchholz and Homès- Frédéricq, whereas Seals form the subject matter of essays by Colbow, Haussperger, Karg, Klengel-Brandt, Nagel & Strommenger, Nunn, N. Özgüç and Porada. Edzard, Kam- menhuber, Krebernik, Postgate, Ünal, Wilcke and Wilhelm consider various philological questions; and Architecture is treated by Kleiss, Musche, Sobolewski and G.R.H. Wright. Further articles by Wäfler (historical geography), Karstens (archaeological chronology), Rittig (helmets), Von den Driesch (hunting and fishing) and Kroll (Iranian geography and the TAVO) make up the fourty, and a bibliography of the celebree by I. Gerlach completes the volume. Professor Hrouda is to be congratulated with such a well produced and important volume, ably edited by the regretted