28 research outputs found
Neolithic society in northern Greece : the evidence of ground stone artefacts.
Analysis of ground stone technology from the Neolithic of Greece rarely goes beyond
incomplete descriptive accounts to focus on the activities performed with these tools
and the contexts of their use. Ground stone products are seen as mundane static objects
devoid of meaning and lacking significance. The aim of this thesis is to move away
from incomplete accounts of ground stone technology and static typologies. Drawing
upon the concepts of the chaine operatoire and 'object biographies' this thesis
investigates ground stone technology as a social practice focusing on the life-cycle of
artefacts from raw material selection to final deposition. The underlying premise is that
a contextual approach can contribute to understanding the ways in which the
production, consumption and discard of ground stone artefacts were structured within
different forms and scales of social practice and the manner in which these differences
articulated different meanings and social understandings. The aims of the thesis were
materialised through the study of the rich ground stone assemblage from the LN
settlement of Makriyalos, Greece.
The analysis of the chaine operatoire of the Makriyalos ground stone assemblage
revealed diverse technological choices expressed throughout the cycle of production and
use. Established traditions existed according to which specific materials were
considered to be appropriate for the production of different objects. Furthermore,
detailed analysis suggests that the resulting objects were far from mundane artefacts but
were instead active media for expressing choices informed by cultural understandings of
appropriateness.
Building upon analysis of the chaine operatoire, spatial analysis of the Makriyalos
assemblage indicated distinct depositional patterns of different categories of ground
stone within and between the two phases of Makriyalos. This analysis offers significant
insights into the way(s) these implements were incorporated into the social life of
Makriyalos. Ultimately, the thesis demonstrates that ground stone artefacts were
actively employed in the creation and negotiation of varied and distinct identities
(individual vs. communal) that could be transformed through different contexts of
practice
“But some were more equal than others:” Exploring inequality at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
We explore the ways in which residents of Neolithic Çatalhöyük in Anatolia differentiated themselves as well as the ways in which they did not. We integrate numerous data sets in order to assess patterns of inequality (A) across buildings with contemporaneous occupations, (B) between buildings that did or did not burn at abandonment, and (C) through time. We use Gini coefficients so as to maximize comparability with other studies of inequality in the ancient and modern worlds, discussing the underlying data and our results to clarify and enhance the value of the quantitative analyses. We evaluate whether or not trajectories of inequality align across data sets in order to determine how far success in one realm correlated with success in another. Our results indicate no unified trajectory of inequality through time. We perceive broadly similar access to staple foods, but not to goods less directly related to survival; relatively elevated income inequality during the middle portion of the site’s occupation, plausibly deliberately tamped down; and no evidence for institutionalized or lasting economic or social inequality. These findings shed light on Neolithic social dynamics and also contribute to broader discussions of inequality and the social ramifications of early agropastoralism
10. Ground stone technologies at the Bronze Age settlement of Sissi
1. Introduction The first study season of the Sissi ground stone assemblage commenced in June 2011 and focused mainly on material recovered during the 2010 excavation campaign, but also on a small number of objects recovered during the 2011 campaign. In total, 276 objects were studied, 73 of which exhibit no manufacturing or use wear and thus have not been included in the following analysis. The remaining 203 objects were recorded in detail in terms of technological characteristics and wear p..
Unravelling ground stone life histories> the spatial organization of stone tools and human activities at LN Makriyalos, Greece
Unlike previous studies of ground stone technology in the Greek Neolithic, this paper follows a more contextualised approach by looking at contexts of deposition of ground stone from Late Neolithic Makriyalos, Northern Greece. The patterns attested in the distribution of ground stone objects between domestic and communal areas will be discussed in terms of the spatial and social contexts of tool use, curation and deposition, contributing to wider discussions about the way acts of production, consumption and discard were structured within different contexts of social practice
Unravelling ground stone life histories> the spatial organization of stone tools and human activities at LN Makriyalos, Greece
Unlike previous studies of ground stone technology in the Greek Neolithic, this paper follows a more contextualised approach by looking at contexts of deposition of ground stone from Late Neolithic Makriyalos, Northern Greece. The patterns attested in the distribution of ground stone objects between domestic and communal areas will be discussed in terms of the spatial and social contexts of tool use, curation and deposition, contributing to wider discussions about the way acts of production, consumption and discard were structured within different contexts of social practice.Ta članek se, v nasprotju s prejšnjimi študijami tehnologije brusov v grškem neolitiku, ukvarja z depozicijskimi konteksti mlajšeneolitskih brusov iz Makriyalosa v severni Grčiji. Vzorce distribucij brusov med družinskimi in komunalnimi območji analiziramo z vidika prostorskih in socialnih kontekstov uporabe ter hranjenja orodij. Razpravljamo o tem, kako so bili produkcija, potrošnja in odpad strukturirani v kontekstov različnih socialnih praks
9. Bio-archaeological Assemblages and Ground Stone Artefacts
1. Introduction Integral to the excavation on the Kefali hill at Sissi has been the systematic collection of ecofacts, including animal and fish bones, plant remains and marine and land molluscs, aiming at a holistic understanding of Bronze Age society and economy. The on-going dialogue and excellent co-operation between the excavators and the bio-archaeology team (V. Isaakidou co-ordinator and zooarchaeologist since 2007, A. Livarda archaeobotanist since 2009 and R. Veropoulidou marine and l..
A microbotanical and microwear perspective to plant processing activities and foodways at Neolithic Çatalhöyük
Çatalhöyük is a renowned archaeological site in central Anatolia, best known for its Neolithic occupation dated from 7100 to 6000 cal BC. The site received worldwide attention early on for its large size, well-preserved mudbrick architecture, and elaborate wall paintings. Excavations at the site over almost three decades have unearthed rich archaeobotanical remains and a diverse ground stone assemblage produced by what once was a vibrant farming community. The study presented here adds to our understanding of crops and plant processing at Çatalhöyük by integrating phytoliths and starch analyses on grinding implements found at three domestic contexts attributed to the Middle (6700–6500 cal BC) and Late (6500–6300 cal BC) period of occupation. Our results reveal a rich microbotanical assemblage that testifies the use of a wide range of geophytes and wild seasonal resources previously unknown at the site. Moreover, by comparing results from the microbotanical proxies and microscopic wear patterns on artefacts, we are also able to discern various plant processing practices the analysed artefacts were employed for. In sum, this work further expands our understanding of plants and crop processing activities performed by the inhabitants of Neolithic Çatalhöyük.This work was funded by the following: The Çatalhöyük Research Project (http://www.catalhoyuk.com/); CaSEs – Quality Research Group of the Catalonian Government SGR-212 (https://www.upf.edu/web/cases); Raindrops ERC starting grant (Grant agreement ID: 759800) CL, MM; Ph.D. Scholarship (PIPF-UPF-PhD), Department of Humanities Universitat Pompeu Fabra (https://www.upf.edu/web/humanitats/) CG.S-M; CRAFTS Marie-Curie Intra-European Research Fellowship (Grant agreement no. PIEF-GA-2012-328862) CT