This thesis deals with basketry impressions on fragments of bitumen, gypsum and pottery found during excavations at the (Late) Neolithic (7000 - 5300 BC) site of Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria. It would...Show moreThis thesis deals with basketry impressions on fragments of bitumen, gypsum and pottery found during excavations at the (Late) Neolithic (7000 - 5300 BC) site of Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria. It would seem that basketry was produced on-site: botanical evidence shows that the required vegetable materials were readily available in the then fertile grounds surrounding the mounds, whereas hundreds of bone awls and needles suggest a range of on-site production activities concerning perishable artefacts, including textiles and basketry. After production, basketry artefacts were either used instantly as containers (and presumably as architectural elements, such as floor coverings and roof constructions) or used in the production sequence of other artefacts, such as bitumen-coated waterproof containers, White Ware and pottery. The untreated containers were used for communal storage facilities of dry goods, whilst the treated basketry was used to store liquids or to shape gypsum and clay into rigid vessels. Finally, diachronic analysis shows that different basketry techniques were introduced and used at different times at the site. The appearance of coiled basketry seems to have instigated a usage decline of bitumen-coated plaited baskets, as the former was used to shape larger waterproof vessels of gypsum and pottery.Show less
Göbekli Tepe is a site built in the Pre Pottery Neolithic and is located in southeastern Turkey. It has been recently excavated by Klaus Schmidt. The site is rich in animal depictions and symbols...Show moreGöbekli Tepe is a site built in the Pre Pottery Neolithic and is located in southeastern Turkey. It has been recently excavated by Klaus Schmidt. The site is rich in animal depictions and symbols on T-shaped pillars. This thesis concentrates on the meaning of the T-shaped pillars and the depictions and symbols of enclosure D, layer III. Currently, there is a discussion going about the meaning of the site. First the different discussions are mentioned. The most important theory is coming from Klaus Schmidt. According to Schmidt, Göbekli Tepe was a ritual center for hunter-gatherers where rituals had taken place. Based on his arguments and the six aspects of Bell, I investigate if Göbekli Tepe may be seen as a ritual site. After this, a discussion follows about which animal depictions and symbols are represented on the T-shaped pillars of circle D. After giving interpretations upon the role of these depictions, Göbekli Tepe is placed in context. Contradictory to Schmidt is the theory of Banning, who suggests that the enclosures at Göbekli Tepe may be houses with the taller pillars supporting the beams of the roof. He suggests that the T-shaped pillars were an architectural feature that was used in the Urfa region. The T-shaped pillars are compared with other pillars found in the region of Göbekli Tepe. Göbekli Tepe is compared to the following PPN sites: Hamzan Tepe, Karahan Tepe, Adiyaman Kilisik, Nevalı Çori and Taşlı Tepe. Because of the limited knowledge of the meaning of Göbekli Tepe, more research is acquired to answer what the meaning of the T-shaped pillars and the animal depictions and symbols are.Show less
Figurines have been the subject of many archaeological studies and publications since the early 20th century. Studies in the past tended to be universalistic in nature and studied figurines mostly...Show moreFigurines have been the subject of many archaeological studies and publications since the early 20th century. Studies in the past tended to be universalistic in nature and studied figurines mostly as art objects. In recent years there has been a move towards more contextualised research and a move away from universalistic explanations. However, there are still some shortcomings in figurine literature. Site publications often lack synthesis into a larger temporal and geographical framework. Also figurines are sometimes still presented out of context and treated separately, as if they fall into a singular, special category, instead of being part of the artefact assemblage as a whole. New interesting themes in figurine theory have emerged, but these have to be critically reviewed and assessed for their practical use. Turning to other fields like sociology and psychology can lead to interesting viewpoints, but can also result in generalising statements which, in the end, do not help with interpreting an individual dataset. In this thesis some of the new themes in figurine theory have been chosen, namely: fragmentation, figurines and fire-related contexts, miniaturisation and schematisation and finally, materiality. The literature on these themes has been reviewed and subsequently the value and usability of these themes has been assessed by applying them on a case study – the (Early) Halaf figurines of Tell Sabi Abyad, Operation III. The case-study showed that these themes can lead to new insights, but only when taking a more contextual and practical approach. Some new research questions were also formulated which can be dealt with in future research.Show less
The tower-fortress on the Oman Peninsula have always been a mystery to archeologists. A total of 15 tower-houses have been excavated or surveyed by archeologists in the past decades and yet their...Show moreThe tower-fortress on the Oman Peninsula have always been a mystery to archeologists. A total of 15 tower-houses have been excavated or surveyed by archeologists in the past decades and yet their purpose inside the settlements is still poorly understood. This thesis analyzes and evaluates the existing theories about the tower-houses and offers an alternative theory by taking into account the locations, sizes and construction techniques of these buildings, using the survey and excavation rapports. The origins of the tower-fortresses can be found as early as the end of the fourth millennium B.C., when the settlement pattern on the Oman Peninsula shifts from the coast to the hinterland. The shift from the coast to the oasis brought a diversification of resources as well as a tighter appropriation of space. Combined with an increase in the copper trade at the beginning of the third millennium, this induced more complexity in the social system. The form of social organization which emerged on the Oman Peninsula due to these factors, was one which was in a liminal stage between a chiefdom and a state society, called a stratified non-state society. The tower-fortress of the Oman Peninsula functioned in such a society as dwellings and locus of regional power of a particular family or moiety. The few towers that have been excavated show many similarities, such as: he positioning of the towers within the settlements, the usage of a platform on which the towers rest, the interior of the platform consisting of two rows of chambers divided by a corridor or well, the ditches surrounding the towers and thus separating them from the rest of the settlement, the fact that all of the towers could only have been accessed by a ramp, etc. All of these similarities indicate specialization and one has to wonder if the possibility exists of a specialized class of tower-builders, travelling from settlement to settlement.Show less
