Bleda S. Düring

Households and communities in the central Anatolian Neolithic

The neolithic communities of central Anatolia are generally reconstructed as being constituted by relatively autonomous and homologous households occupying discrete residences and performing most domestic activities in the house. In this reconstruction households are seen as the uniform and unproblematic basic component of society. This paper aims to problematize this modular conception of central Anatolian Neolithic societies, and wants to draw attention to the multiple forms in which households occurred and the manner in which they were embedded in larger social associations. It is argued that different levels of social association can only be understood in relation to each other. Further, the manner in which social configurations in central Anatolia changed over time is explored. This will be done by presenting evidence from two central Anatolian Neolithic sites: Asikli Hoyuk and Catalhoyuk. In particular, we argue that households became autonomous and clearly bounded entities only towards the end of the central Anatolian Neolithic, and that too little consideration has been given to the neighbourhood and the local community encompassing individual households.

Social dimensions in the architecture of Neolithic Catalhöyuk

Çatalhöyük is an important symbol of the Neolithic in Anatolia. Within the buildings of this settlement spectacular ‘art’ was found, and beneath the floors of these buildings elaborately furnished burials were unearthed. Among the characteristics of the settlement the absence of streets constitutes a central element for understanding this period. Despite the unique and well known remains found at the site, its architecture has not been studied systematically. The buildings remain to be distinguished. The distinction between shrines and nonshrines has not been fully scrutinised. Most importantly, the appearance of public space at the site has not been studied. In this paper an analysis of the architecture of Çatalhöyük levels VIII–II is presented. A method of distinguishing buildings is proposed. On that basis the analysis focuses on three themes. The first theme is the variability of features associated with the buildings, and the feasibility of the shrines / non-shrines distinction. It is argued that some buildings did indeed function as ritual centres for the inhabitants of other buildings, although they also had domestic functions.

Skeletons in the fortress: the Late Bronze Age burials of Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria

Abstract The assemblage of Late Bronze Age burials from Tell Sabi Abyad provides us with a unique window into the burial customs of the burgeoning Middle Assyrian Empire in the former lands of Hanigalbat. Our understanding of the settlement is aided by the fact that the site has been more or less completely excavated, and because we have rich in situ contexts that include nearly 400 cuneiform tablets. The burial assemblage is remarkable because of the diverse nature of the burial customs attested at the site. This diversity can be seen in the different types of interment and in treatment of the body, as well as in the nature of the grave goods. In this paper, we will provide an overview of this diversity, and we will discuss what it can tell us about Middle Assyrian society at the site of Tell Sabi Abyad and beyond.