Modeling Collapse: Analysis of the Bronze Age-Iron Age
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MODELING COLLAPSE: ANALYSIS OF THE BRONZE AGE-IRON AGE TRANSITION AT TWO NEAR EASTERN SITES by WILLIAM NUTT Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Arlington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN ANTHROPOLOGY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON May 2014 Copyright © by William Nutt 2014 All Rights Reserved ii Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Karl Petruso for his unwavering support; Dr. Naomi Cleghorn and Dr. Shelley Smith for their teaching and guidance; Helen McDonald and the staff of the Oriental Institute for providing access to their collections; and my wife, Hannah Nutt, for diligently helping me tackle the visual aspects of archaeology. April 21, 2014 iii Abstract MODELING COLLAPSE: ANALYSIS OF THE BRONZE AGE-IRON AGE TRANSITION AT TWO NEAR EASTERN SITES William Nutt, MA The University of Texas at Arlington, 2014 Supervising Professor: Karl Petruso This project tests a three-step model for archaeological collapse, by analyzing assemblages from two museum collections, Alişar Hüyük and Tell el Fakhariyah. Focusing on three categories of artifacts, namely biological remains, tools and weapons, and objects of personal adornment, the model evaluates change over a brief time in order to investigate the transitional period during a collapse. As the sites used for this research were excavated during the first half of the twentieth century, the project assesses the possible utility of old museum collections in light of probable collection biases. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................... iii Abstract ..................................................................................................... iv List of Illustrations………………………………………………………………ix List of Tables…………………………………………………………………….xi Prolegomenon ........................................................................................... 1 Three Questions .................................................................................... 2 Scope and Limitations ............................................................................ 3 Project History........................................................................................ 4 Sites and Data ....................................................................................... 7 Alişar Hüyük ....................................................................................... 7 Tell el Fakhariyah ............................................................................... 8 Model and Methods ............................................................................. 10 Chapter 1 The Wide-Ranging Meanings of Collapse ............................... 12 History of Collapse Theory ................................................................... 12 Classical Period to the 18th Century ................................................. 13 19th and 20th Century Cycle Theory .................................................. 16 Toynbee ........................................................................................... 19 Pursuing Ecology and Sustainability................................................. 20 Recent Reevaluation ........................................................................ 21 Diamond and Response ................................................................... 24 v Collapse Theory Today ........................................................................ 26 Chapter 2 Background to the Bronze Age Collapse ................................ 28 The Fall of the Hittite Empire ............................................................... 29 Rebellion and Civil Unrest ................................................................ 30 Natural Disasters .............................................................................. 32 Warfare and Invasion ....................................................................... 34 Aftermath and Continuity .................................................................. 37 Assyria Through Crisis ......................................................................... 40 Syria beyond Assyrian Power ........................................................... 42 Parallels with other Eras and Regions ................................................. 42 Classic Maya .................................................................................... 43 Research Focus of This Work .............................................................. 45 Alişar Hüyük ..................................................................................... 45 Tell el Fakhariya ............................................................................... 47 Chapter 3 Model and Methods ................................................................ 50 Central Questions ................................................................................ 50 Limitations ............................................................................................ 51 Outline of Model ................................................................................... 53 Methods ............................................................................................... 56 Overview of Synthesized Methods ....................................................... 57 On Methods and Data .......................................................................... 58 vi Chapter 4 Human and Animal Remains .................................................. 60 Human Crania ...................................................................................... 61 Faunal Remains ................................................................................... 66 Modified Bone .................................................................................. 67 Sheep/Goats .................................................................................... 67 Cattle ................................................................................................ 68 Pigs .................................................................................................. 70 Miscellaneous Taxa .......................................................................... 71 Trends and Analysis ............................................................................ 73 Chapter 5 Tools and Weaponry ............................................................... 76 Weaponry ............................................................................................ 77 Alişar Hüyük ..................................................................................... 77 Lance and Arrowheads ................................................................. 77 Comparanda ................................................................................. 80 Tell el Fakhariyah ............................................................................. 81 Flint and Obsidian ................................................................................ 82 Miscellaneous Tools ............................................................................ 90 Spindle Whorls ................................................................................. 90 Rubbing stones and Drills ................................................................. 92 Needles ............................................................................................ 93 Awls .................................................................................................. 94 vii Synthesis and Analysis ........................................................................ 95 Chapter 6 Objects of Adornment ............................................................. 98 Beads ................................................................................................... 99 Bone Jewelry and Decorative Miscellany ........................................... 100 Bone Pins ....................................................................................... 104 Metal Jewelry and Decorative Miscellany .......................................... 106 Metal Pins and Fibulae ................................................................... 106 Synthesis and Analysis ...................................................................... 108 Chapter 7 Discussion and Conclusion ................................................... 111 Synthesis of Results .......................................................................... 111 Alişar Hüyük ................................................................................... 112 Tell el Fakhariyah ........................................................................... 114 Reflections on the Model ................................................................... 116 Strengths ........................................................................................ 116 Weaknesses ................................................................................... 117 Implications for Future Research .................................................... 118 Conclusions ....................................................................................... 119 References ............................................................................................ 121 Biographical Statement ......................................................................... 139 viii List of Illustrations Figure 1-1 Location of Alişar Hüyük………………..………………….……...8 Figure 1-2 Location of Tell el Fakhariyah…….………………………………9