Archaeological Research in Asia最新文献

The Tel Tsaf decoration motifs have been known for over 45 years now, first described after R. Gophna's excavations at Middle Chalcolithic (ca. 5200–4700 cal BCE) Tel Tsaf in the Jordan Valley, Israel, during 1978–1980. While this type of decorated pottery was also found in other sites in the region, very limited data has been published. This data scarcity resulted in a fragmentary view of the phenomenon and consequently, the Tel Tsaf decoration motifs were regarded by many scholars as a monolithic phenomenon. The current paper represents a focused effort to analyze an assemblage of 682 sherds bearing the Tel Tsaf decoration, unearthed at the eponymous site between 2013 and 2022. We conduct a detailed attribute analysis that includes stylistic, morphometric, and contextual studies of the decorated vessels and the decoration repertoire itself. Through the analyses, we address internal variability of Tel Tsaf decoration style, emphasizing the local origin and complexity of the phenomenon in the cultural landscape of the Middle Chalcolithic in the southern Levant.

We examine the long-term history of eastern Shandong, China, with a focus on shifts in settlement patterns. We expand on prior work where our focus was a series of basins on the southeastern Shandong coast where we first implemented systematic archaeological settlement pattern surveys. Here, we broaden the vantage through the addition of more recently surveyed regions, some contiguous with the initial focal region and others not, as well as evidence from archaeological excavations and textual sources. This broadened lens adds context to earlier publications on the Shandong coast by illustrating how settlement patterns and population changes in the coastal basins were not necessarily equivalent with the other investigated regions. Directional shifts in interaction patterns beyond the coast are documented. Imperial incorporation of the coast into the Qin-Han empires was coincident with an episode of demographic and economic growth.

Research into pottery production typically emphasizes the study of pottery itself, with less attention given to the organization of pottery production within prehistoric communities. However, focusing on pottery production can be instrumental in unveiling the economic and social structures of these societies. In 2016, while conducting archaeological excavations at the Hormangan site in the Bavanat river basin, evidence of pottery production was unearthed. Initially, after digging through the surface layers of trench 3, we uncovered a heated structure. Further excavation revealed that this structure was associated with a pottery kiln located on the north side of the Neolithic village. The kiln had an early open plan, with various spaces partitioned by walls, each serving a specific function in the pottery production process. The kiln from Hormangan, dating back to 6150–6000 BCE, bears witness to the nascent stage of specialized pottery production. During Neolithic period societies were taking their first steps towards the complexities and specializations that would characterize later civilizations. The presence of this kiln, along with its associated structures, underscores the craft specialization within the Neolithic society of Hormangan in pottery production. Although the presence of kilns and workshop spaces in Hormangan indicates that pottery production exceeded the household level, aimed at fulfilling more than just a single family's needs, the scarcity of archaeological findings prevents a comprehensive analysis of the organization of pottery production in Neolithic Fars society. The transition from household production to a semi-industrial level, as evidenced by the presence of the workshop and open kiln, signifies an evolution in pottery production and likely points to the existence of surplus pottery production. The archeological evidence obtained show that the societies of southern Iran as a part of southwest Asia in the 7th millennium BCE have taken a step towards specialization and trade and we are witnessing social complexity in Neolithic period.