Irrigation technologies and more particularly qanat-type falaj irrigation and its first emergence, are one of the key topics of Arabian prehistory. Magee suggests that falaj systems and the...Show moreIrrigation technologies and more particularly qanat-type falaj irrigation and its first emergence, are one of the key topics of Arabian prehistory. Magee suggests that falaj systems and the domestication of the camel considerably facilitated the Iron Age II population boom in Southeastern Arabia (Magee 2004). Here, four irrigation systems are systematically discussed along three research questions addressing their location, characteristics and how they were dated. The four sites are located in regions, were hot desert climate prevails and groundwater was easily available. The communities conducted qanat-type falaj irrigation (Hili, Al Madam), runoff irrigation (Masafi) and potentially manual irrigation (Wadi Fizh). Modification traces (Al Madam, Masafi) indicate a continuous use of the structures and sluices (Hili, Masafi) point towards water management activities. All systems were dated based on Iron Age II pottery; the system at Al Madam was furtherly dated by radiocarbon dates and the system at Masafi by dates from microcharcoal analysis. The absolute dates from Al Madam and Masafi were strong indicators for a dating to the Iron Age II period, showing that falaj and runoff irrigation were conducted at the time. Reconstructing past water tables and studying construction techniques will be suitable approaches, to further research how Iron Age II communities were irrigating.Show less
The aim of this research is to investigate the degree of differentiation among Chalcolithic buildings. In this research project, several key sites of the Chalcolithic are under investigation,...Show moreThe aim of this research is to investigate the degree of differentiation among Chalcolithic buildings. In this research project, several key sites of the Chalcolithic are under investigation, including Lemba-Lakkous, Kissonerga-Mylouthkia, Kissonerga-Mosphilia and Chlorakas-Palloures. The data provided by the excavations at Chlorakas-Palloures have not been incorporated in any research until now. Although the Chalcolithic period has been extensively studied and the excavated sites have been recorded in great detail, little attention is given to the architectural features, and only the “special” structures are examined in great detail. It has been argued that Chalcolithic houses, their spatial configuration and internal activity zones are highly standardized. Also, a marked differentiation can be recognized in both house sizes and building elaboration. However, the Chalcolithic house is always presented as a homogenous structure, with little regard for differentiation or diversity in these structures. This model relies heavily on several parade ground examples, such as the ‘Red Building’ and the Kissonerga ‘Building Model’ and buildings that do not fit in this model, have not been considered. The emergence of building differentiation has first been identified during the Middle Chalcolithic, and it has been argued that this variability resulted from ritual control. For the Late Chalcolithic, the evidence for building differentiation is illustrated by the ‘Pithos House’ of which it has been argued that the differentiation is a result of socio-economic organisation. Interestingly, these buildings are all conform to the internal arrangements of the standard Chalcolithic house. Thus, for both periods building differentiation has been explained to be associated to social competition. In order to scrutinize this hypothesis, the concept of house societies has been applied, in which mainly has been focussed on the buildings and the features therein. Whether settlements are hierarchically arranged can be inferred though house size, building elaboration, differences in food items, access to craft-produced items and burial practices. Therefore, it should be investigated whether we can recognize a difference in activities, building size and building elaboration, in order to identify these high-status buildings. A large dataset has been created combining all the architectural data of the four sites, in order to systematically study, compare and analyse them together. It has been concluded that a high degree of variability is present among Chalcolithic buildings, which can be both recognized on the site level and between sites. This differentiation is due to differences in function, but several high-status buildings have been identified also. Buildings in which a difference in the internal layout could be recognized did not function as houses but served as storage facilities and communal food processing and preparation buildings. Both curvilinear and rectilinear buildings served as such. Buildings which differed in terms of building size, building elaboration were conform to the standard spatial configuration and served primarily as houses. In these buildings evidence for access to different food items and craft-produced items has been encountered. Therefore, it can be argued that these buildings were high-status buildings.Show less
This thesis presents an interdisciplinary study including archaeological and philological evidence. It is concerned with the development of musical entertainment and the socio-cultural value and...Show moreThis thesis presents an interdisciplinary study including archaeological and philological evidence. It is concerned with the development of musical entertainment and the socio-cultural value and function of music in ancient Mesopotamia in the late 4th and 3rd millennium BCE. It also investigates changes in the form, venue and occasion of performances which are continuously affected by trajectories such as the period, religion, politics, technology, and style. It includes the classification of ancient instrument according to modern types on the basis of iconographical and archaeological materiel, as well as the identification of the most important instrument names in ancient Sumerian literary texts. Moreover, it concerned with different contexts of musical performance. A survey of depicted scenes has led to the definition of various topics which are structured in a rough chronological order according to their initial appearance. They are explained on the basis of archaeological, iconographical and / or literary evidence. This scholar-imposed scheme allows to examine instruments in their performative function. Thus, it is possible to investigate the socio-cultural role of music in certain historical periods from different perspectives and provides information about characteristics of political, intellectual or religious life. A catalogue of the all iconographic and archaeological attestations featuring musical instruments dating to the late 4th and 3rd millennium BCE as well as a survey of the Sumerian literary text corpus referring to musical performances are the foundation of this study.Show less
Animals have played a major role in the Halaf. Animals did not only figure in Halaf subsistence and the economy, but they also played a prominent role in symbolism. We encounter animals in...Show moreAnimals have played a major role in the Halaf. Animals did not only figure in Halaf subsistence and the economy, but they also played a prominent role in symbolism. We encounter animals in different material categories, as images in wall paintings, on Halaf Fine Ware ceramics, sealings, and as stamps for sealing, amulets, and figurines. Animal remains have been found alongside those of humans, or in other special or ritual contexts. How can we understand these animal representations and ‘ritual’ animal deposits? This preliminary study explores the meanings of animals in the Halaf by using a new approach that was never employed in this area before: Social zooarchaeology. Social zooarchaeology views animals not only as ‘good to eat’, but also as ‘good to think with’ as Lévi-Strauss so famously pointed out. This study investigates multiple case studies from various sites, like Domuztepe (Turkey), Tell Kurdu (Turkey), Kazane Höyük (Turkey), Fıstıklı Hüyük (Turkey), Tell Sabi Abyad (Syria), Tell Khirbet esh-Shenef (Syria), Tell Arpachiyah (Iraq), Banahilk (Iraq), and Yarim Tepe I and II (Iraq). In order to interpret the various animal representations and ritual deposits, every material category and ritual animal deposit is considered in its depositional context and context of use. Furthermore, comparisons with the zooarchaeological record are made, and subsistence. Four main contexts can be recognized in which animals fulfilled symbolic roles, and these often overlap: 1) Domestic space, 2) ‘ritual’, including communal events, commensality and burial, and 3) administration, including storage, the marking of property, and the usage of objects as mnemonic devices, and 4) bodily adornment. It appears that animals might have functioned as a common spoken language in the sharing economy, figuring in complex narratives, myths, and rituals, enforcing human-human relationships and tying together diverse people from various backgrounds in communal events.Show less
Few aspects of human agency are as sparsely treated in archaeological literature as the act of human defecation in the Ancient Near East, as only a limited number of toilets have been found and...Show moreFew aspects of human agency are as sparsely treated in archaeological literature as the act of human defecation in the Ancient Near East, as only a limited number of toilets have been found and published. This paucity is unfortunate, as sanitary technology as a phenomenon can have implications for a wide range of human socio-economic behaviour. The scarce literature indicates a predominance of squatting toilets, when compared to seating toilets. Based on an overview of the published toilets, this assumption does not bear out, as an overview of the available data suggests that seating toilets were equally “common”. At the same time toilets were not “common” at all: the large majority of toilets were found in urban and elite contexts. As such, the spread of sanitary technology like toilets and especially sewage systems might be indicative of social complexity, starting in Southern Mesopotamia in the 4th Millennium BC, eventually reaching Syria in the 2nd Millennium BC. In Tell Sabi Abyad toilets have been found in an Assyrian Late Bronze Age fortified estate, a so called dunnu, that was the property of an elite Assyrian family. These are the only toilets in the Ancient Near East that have been so far found outside an urban context. Although the small scale of the settlement does not necessitate toilets, its defensive role might. In addition the toilets may well have been part of the habitus of Assyrian nobility. Remarkably, these toilets stayed in use and were even rebuilt long after the dunnu lost its importance and connection to nobility, indicating an emulation of status behaviour, and a transfer of elite values.Show less
When Middle Assyrians conquered the land of Hanigalbat during the 14th and 13th century, they did several changes in the settlement systems of the area. This paper is mainly concerned with the...Show moreWhen Middle Assyrians conquered the land of Hanigalbat during the 14th and 13th century, they did several changes in the settlement systems of the area. This paper is mainly concerned with the changes happened during the transitional phase from the Mitanni to the Middle Assyrian period. Several works have been lately published about the Middle Assyrians in general but the Mitanni period has been generally neglected. The research of this paper tackles the subject through a bibliographical overview of the current archaeological data concerning the period. The questions which are going to be investigated in this paper about the transition from Mitanni to Middle Assyrians are: What changes did the Middle Assyrians brought to the administrative system of the area? What changes do we see in the settlement system? How did the agricultural economy evolved, what are the results of the intensification of agriculture and how did this affect the changes in settlement systems? In order to answer those questions the paper is divided in 4 chapters. In the first chapter I do a historical overview of the periods from the 15th to the 13th century BC. The historical overview is important to create the context in which I am going to work and it provides crucial information about the names of certain sites which will be investigated. In the first chapter I also provide a brief state of the archaeological research of the periods. In the second chapter I thoroughly investigate three areas, t e Balīḫ Valley, the Upper Ḫābūr Valle and t e Upper igris regi n. I pr vide general information of the areas and examination of certain sites which are used as examples. At the end of each subchapter there are conclusions concerning each specific region. The third chapter deals with agriculture and the changes of agriculture during the early period of the Middle Assyrian Empire. In order to examine the subject of agriculture I use two well documented sites, Tell Sabi Abyad and Dūr-Katlimmu. These sites have been chose because they provide us with important textual evidence and allow the reconstruction of their agricultural productivity. The study of agriculture allows us to see the role of agriculture in the settlement changes of the period.In the final chapter I firstly present a discussion in order to create a theoretical framework for the changes on settlement systems. In this part I discuss the policies used by Middle Assyrian in each region and the reasons behind certain decisions on changing the settlement patterns of an area. The last part of the chapter contains the conclusions and results of the research. The purpose of this MA thesis is to recreate certain aspects of the transitions from the Mitanni Empire to the Middle Assyrian Empire with main focus on the changes of settlement patterns.Show less
In de archeologie van het Nabije Oosten zijn zegels veel en uitgebreid bestudeerde objecten. Deze studie richt zich echter vooral op de afbeeldingen op de zegels, en op de rol van de zegels in...Show moreIn de archeologie van het Nabije Oosten zijn zegels veel en uitgebreid bestudeerde objecten. Deze studie richt zich echter vooral op de afbeeldingen op de zegels, en op de rol van de zegels in handel. In deze scriptie kijk ik naar de rol en de waarde van zegels in een Bronstijd samenleving op Bahrein, niet in eerste plaats aan de hand van de afbeeldingen erop, maar vooral naar de archeologische context van de zegels. Ik behandel de verschillende plaatsen in het dorp waar de zegels gevonden zijn, en aan de hand daarvan probeer ik mijn onderzoeksvragen te beantwoorden.Show less
